


Men of the Forest

by MusicPrincess655



Series: Royalty AU [4]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Blood, Kyoutani Kentarou/Yahaba Shigeru - Freeform, M/M, War, they dont officially get together by the end so they dont go in the ship tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-01
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-11-21 19:50:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 30,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11364417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicPrincess655/pseuds/MusicPrincess655
Summary: After the fall of Seijoh, the survivors find each other. Though fierce trials await them, they'll see that they're stronger together than they could ever be apart.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> More NaNoWriMo! This time it's the Seijoh story, and I've finally come back to the current timeline. This takes place at the same time as A Tale of Two Princes, starting on the same night, and follows the members of Seijoh that aren't mains in AToTP

The shouts were distant, but they rang in Makki’s ears. He gripped the dagger in his hand tighter, the only weapon he’d been able to grab on such short notice.

It felt so disgustingly useless.

But Makki wasn’t helpless. He was mated to the captain of the castle guard, and omega or not, he knew how to defend himself. He couldn’t die here.

A whimper behind him threatened to break his focus, but he couldn’t spare more than a thought to his son, not when he had to defend both of them. One lone omega with a baby wasn’t much of a threat, but Makki was trying not to think about that.

As soon as the door started to open, Makki launched himself at it with a battle cry, raising his dagger. He only stopped when the scent of clean country air hit his nose.

His momentum slowed enough that Mattsun was able to catch his wrist and keep him from falling on his face.

“We have to run,” Mattsun said, voice low and frantic, so different from his usual bored tone. “There’s no saving the castle. They got both the princes and I’m pretty sure the king is dead. We have to take Jun and run.”

Makki nodded, handing his dagger off to his mate. He couldn’t really hold Jun and fight people off at the same time. Settling his baby into a sling around his front, though, he thought with a grim twist of his lips that if anyone was touching his son it would be over his dead body.

Mattsun went first out the door, sweeping his eyes quickly for threats. They were in the back part of the castle, and so far, the fighting had raged far away from them. Makki could still hear the shouting, too distant to pose an immediate danger. Wordlessly, they both broke into a run. For now, the halls were clear, but that probably wouldn’t stay the case as they descended from their room in the tower. There were sure to be enemies lower down.

Makki stayed close to Mattsun’s heels, chasing him down a servant’s staircase in the back of the castle. Hopefully they’d be able to avoid anyone this way, but the problem was, the staircase didn’t go all the way down. Instead, they had to break out into the main hallway, right into trouble.

Three strange soldiers stared at them, and Mattsun drew his sword, placing himself between them and Makki. The scuffle was over quickly. All three were young and untried, and Mattsun had been a castle guard for over a decade.

They kept running, breath catching in their throats at every sound. Every shadow, every gust of wind, everything could be an enemy.

But the sob that reached Makki’s ears probably wasn’t.

Makki leaned around a corner, Mattsun grabbing at his arm, to see a young omega stumbling along, more of those strange Karasuno soldiers hot on their heels. Makki reached out to grab them, and when the soldiers reached the corner, Mattsun killed them in one stroke.

Now that Makki could see the person he had only smelled and identified as an omega before, could see that he was a boy, probably not long past manhood. His brown hair was long, hanging in his eyes and over his shoulders, and he was absolutely covered in blood.

“Can you run?” Makki asked frantically. The boy nodded, reaching out to hold onto the back of Makki’s shirt. They kept moving, the new boy keeping up surprisingly well for the injuries that had to be hiding under that thick layer of blood. Makki didn’t want to think about how badly injured he was. It would be a shame to save him from the castle only for him to die later.

The outside air should have been a relief, but it wasn’t. They were horribly exposed, and Makki hunched protectively over Jun in his arms, the omega at his back drawing as close as he could without tripping.

Somehow, miraculously, they made it across the grounds without incident, ducking into shadows and waiting with bated breath as enemies ran around them. Makki had to hold his breath, crushing Jun to his chest as someone came so close to their hiding place that surely they would be discovered.

No one bothered them, though, probably going for the more dangerous targets of the scattered castle guard. Makki could see Mattsun gritting his teeth as his men fell, their skill outweighed by sheer volume of enemy soldiers, but there was nothing to be done. They had to protect their son. That was what was important right now.

As they made it out of the grounds, slipping through an unattended door in the wall, the omega clinging to Makki starting to whimper. He must have been in horrible pain, with injuries that would produce that much blood. Makki’s heart went out to them, but they couldn’t rest yet. They were hardly out of danger.

If anything, the edge of the woods was even more dangerous. As far as they knew, the enemy had surrounded the castle, and running the way they were going would put them straight into enemy hands.

They didn’t have a choice, though. Staying in the castle meant certain death. Makki shushed the omega, who was starting to whimper louder. He didn’t want to draw attention to them if they could help it. He prayed to every god he could think of to keep Jun quiet and asleep in his arms.

There were sounds everywhere in the forest, and they couldn’t tell which direction any were coming from. The only thing they could do was keep going in the same direction, north, and hope to break free of being surrounded.

Soon, the noises started to fade a bit. They must have been finally breaking free, but they didn’t stop running, even when Makki’s lungs started to ache for air, even when he could feel his feet starting to go numb, even when the omega wouldn’t stop whimpering even when Makki shushed him again.

Finally, despite the determined look in Mattsun’s face, they had to stop. They couldn’t breathe, and Makki was worried the omega that had somehow kept up with them was going to collapse if they didn’t get him bandaged up soon.

Mattsun stood guard nearby as Makki coaxed the omega to sit and lean against a tree. He shifted the sling he carried Jun in so the baby was resting against his back instead of his front, and leaned in to inspect the omega. They didn’t have any supplies, so he would have to make do. Tearing a strip from the long shirt that hung over the omega’s pants, figuring the excess wouldn’t be missed, Makki started trying to clean the blood from the wounds.

But something was wrong.

The blood was starting to dry and crust, but as Makki managed to wipe some away, no new blood welled up to replace it. All Makki could find, everywhere he looked, was unblemished, if dirty, skin.

Then he noticed, as he cleaned blood away from the omega’s face, that it was only sitting on top of his clothes, no source hidden away. Makki looked up, finally, taking in the wide brown eyes of the omega.

And all he could see was horror. Eyes blown wide with the sight of something terrible.

The omega had been on the lower floors, where there had been more danger. There had been more enemies. And it was highly unlikely that he’d been alone at first.

Makki leaned forward, wrapping his arms around the omega’s shoulders and pulling the boy forward. As his forehead rested on Makki’s shoulder, the whimpers turned into full sobs, wracking his entire body. Makki stroked his back, making sounds he hoped were soothing. It didn’t bear thinking about how the boy had gotten covered in blood like that.

Because the blood wasn’t his.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kunimi and Kindaichi run for the north, and find some more survivors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few more character introductions

Akira grit his teeth, running straight for the line of trees. There wasn’t much cover to be offered, but it was better than nothing.

He looked over his shoulder to make sure Yuutarou was following him, and his eyes caught on the prince. Kageyama Tobio was backing towards the tree line on the opposite side of the clearing, a sword in his right hand and a shield that didn’t belong to him in his left, that stupid determined look on his face.

Even if Akira had been willing to go rescue him, it wouldn’t have mattered. There were too many Karasuno soldiers between them, and Akira wasn’t feeling charitable enough to go on a suicide mission.

“Come on,” he said, in a tone that would have been a murmur if he didn’t have to shout to make himself heard. “We have to get to safety.”

“We’re supposed to protect the prince,” Yuutarou argued. His loyalty was admirable, but not especially helpful at the moment.

“He’ll live or die whether we kill ourselves trying to get to him,” Akira said. “It’s on him now.”

Yuutarou didn’t look particularly happy about it, but he followed Akira past the tree line, a distinct cry of _Cowards!_ chasing at their heels.

Akira cursed the stupid prince for his pride under his breath to distract himself from the voice that was cursing him instead. Yes, the prince was shortsighted and had made the wrong call, but that was why Akira and Yuutarou had the positions they did. They’d been working with the prince for years, and should have known how to handle him by now.

Falling into that trap was as much a failure of them to get the prince to see reason as it was a failure on Kageyama’s part.

Moving in sync without having to voice it, they both headed back towards the castle. With any luck, they would be able to give the guard some warning and get the king and older prince to safety. Karasuno had only just broken through their line. They should have had enough time.

But they didn’t.

Instead, they found the gate shattered and enemies everywhere they looked. Men and women with children tucked into their sides ran for the relative safety of the forest, left mostly alone by the Karasuno soldiers. Most likely, they’d been instructed to leave civilians alone unless they were threatened. Akira’s mind whirred, tucking away pieces of information, even as he moved to the nearest woman, holding a baby to her chest.

“Come on,” he said, gesturing to her. “Head that way, to the north, there are fewer of them.”

She nodded gratefully, hugging her baby closer and breaking into a fresh sprint at the promise of safety. Akira only felt a little guilty for the lie he wasn’t sure was a lie. He didn’t know for a fact that there were fewer soldiers to the north, but the only place that could promise safety to refugees from Seijoh now was Shiratorizawa. Heading north was an inevitability for everyone here who could escape.

Akira turned to see Yuutarou pointing to the north for a man with a son who couldn’t have been more than ten. It wasn’t much, but it was the best they could do.

They went a little ways into the grounds, grabbing survivors and pointing them to the north, but there were so many soldiers from Karasuno, and it was time to run.

“We have to go,” Akira said, trying to ignore how his stomach twisted at the look on Yuutarou’s face. “We can’t save them all.”

Yuutarou nodded. They turned and almost ran over a man shouting and trying to direct the few civilians that remained in the grounds.

“Come on, everyone has to get out!” he bellowed, a little girl cradled in his arms.

“We have to leave,” Akira said to him.

“Not until everyone is safe,” the man barked, turning eyes like fire on Akira. His first assessment seemed wrong. The person in front of him was younger, probably no older than Akira, and some part of him looked terrified under all that ferocity.

“We’ve saved everyone we can,” Akira argued urgently. Someone like this would be useful to them, and he was invested in keeping both him and Yuutarou alive. “There are a lot of people in the woods to the north, and they’re lost and scared. We can’t do any more here. Help us save the ones we can.”

“Naomi can’t find her parents,” the boy argued, shifting the girl higher on his hip.

“And I’m sure she’ll be grateful when you keep her here so long she dies at an enemies sword,” Akira snapped. “We’ll figure it out when she’s _safe._ ”

The boy gave him a considering look, but nodded and followed their lead. Heading for the north, directing anyone they could to follow them, they ran.

“I’m Kunimi, and that’s Kindaichi,” Akira huffed as they ran, nodding to Yuutarou.

“Kyoutani,” the boy replied. “Where exactly are we running?”

“We have to get everyone in the woods together so we can send them to Shiratorizawa,” Akira explained, waving at anyone he saw who wasn’t dressed like a soldier. They started to fall in around him, and out of necessity, he slowed to a brisk walk.

“Shiratorizawa?” Kyoutani asked.

“It’s the only safe place for us now,” Yuutarou broke in, on the same page as Akira from years of learning to work together. “Especially for the children and civilians.”

“That’s far, isn’t it?”

“We don’t have a choice,” Akira said. His voice sounded too dead, even to him. “Seijoh is gone.”

They continued in silence, only the murmurs of everyone around them to drown out the weight of Akira’s words. They’d gathered a fairly large following of people, and it was time to get organized. They didn’t have time to waste. It was only a matter of time before roads to the north would be closed to them.

As well as they could, they started trying to organize people into travel units. Some were easy, with entire family units that had found each other. Some were a lot harder, groups that were too large or too small to travel well. Some would have been heartbreaking if Akira was acknowledging his emotions at the moment. Children missing parents, parents searching for lost children. The best they could do was put unaccompanied children with family groups, and send parents looking for children in the group to help look after the extra children and give them a chance to search for their own.

It was a temporary solution, just for until they could get to safety and regroup. Akira tried not to think about how many children would have to find someone new to take care of them permanently and how many parents would be mourning their babies.

He’d almost finished sorting through survivors, sending them to get started on heading north and doing his best to organize supplies that some had managed to bring, when he came upon a woman.

She was tall, a toddler on her hip, and a bald man at her side. Somehow, Akira could tell the man wasn’t the child’s father.

“What’s your name?” he asked, the same question he’d started with for everyone he’d talked to. It seemed to ease them into having a difficult conversation.

“Iwaizumi Maiya,” she said. “This is my son Takeru, and my friend Watari Shinji.”

“And your mate?” Akira asked. Maybe it was someone he’d already talked to. That hope was dashed when Iwaizumi shook her head, tilting it to reveal the mating mark on her neck that had turned an angry red.

Akira felt his stomach flip. Mates couldn’t read each other’s minds, but most had a low level empathic bond that would translate strong emotions, and they could feel it when their partner died. He didn’t want to think too hard about what Iwaizumi had felt.

“You should head north, for Shiratorizawa,” he told her. “We can find you a group to go with. Three isn’t very good for travelling dangerous roads, especially when one is a child.”

Iwaizumi looked on the verge of agreeing with him, when her eyes caught on something behind him. Akira turned to see someone he recognized. Matsukawa Issei was the captain of the castle guard, and one of the few people Akira respected without reservations. He was looking at two people beside him.

The one with pink hair and a baby slung across his back was Matsukawa’s mate, but Akira didn’t recognize the – _girl? boy? probably a boy, from the height_ – tucked into his side.

“I see a friend,” Iwaizumi said. Akira started moving towards Matsukawa along with her, beckoning to Yuutarou and Kyoutani, who had relinquished his hold on Naomi upon finding her aunt. If there was anyone he wanted to be with right now, it was Matsukawa. He was a natural leader, much more experienced than Akira, and he would probably have a better idea of what to do.

Matsukawa looked up at their approach, unconsciously stepping closer to shield his mate and the other, but relaxed when his eyes lit up with recognition.

“Kunimi,” he said softy. “And Maiya. It’s good to see you both.”

“Glad to see you survived, Mattsun,” Iwaizumi replied to him. “You too, Makki. Who’s that?”

The boy, who Akira could now smell was an omega, lifted his face from Hanamaki’s shoulder. Akira heard Watari gasp from next to Maiya.

“Shigeru?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Maiya's story


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group gets together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternatively titled: I let an oc get away from me again

Maiya was in fight or flight mode, and she kind of wished she could stay that way forever. Takeru clung to her back, arms wrapped around her neck, and Shinji ran at their sides, watching carefully for threats.

As long as she focused only on their survival, running straight into the woods and heading north along with the other survivors around them, she didn’t have to think about anything else that had happened that night.

Like her home being invaded. Like her son crying as she ran from the castle, only her longtime travelling companion to help her fight.

Like the angry burning in her mating mark and the feeling of her heart being squeezed into ash in her chest.

Maiya knew what that meant. She just didn’t have to think about it too hard when she was running for her life.

Soon, though, that was no longer an option, because everyone was slowing to a brisk walk around, and suddenly there were more survivors to be seen. The sounds of shouts and fighting had dulled to almost nothing. They must have been far enough away to be in relative safety.

Maiya didn’t want to think too hard about the part of her that was more afraid because of that.

All around her, people were finding each other as best they could, or asking after missing family members with no results, but she couldn’t focus on that. She had to keep all her attention on herself, keep herself from falling apart.

Really, it was cruel that she had to be strong for her son when all she wanted to do was break down and mourn after feeling her mate die.

“Maiya?” Shinji prompted gently. For someone with a tongue of acid, he could be soft when necessary.

“We should get moving,” she replied, shaking herself a little. “If someone can’t take control of all these people, we’ll all end up dead.”

Shinji nodded, following at her side. He was six years younger than her, but he had followed her on many of her adventures, and she had long since learned to trust him with her life. He was only twenty two, but he could hold his own in a fight.

She caught eyes with a much younger man, not much older than a boy, really. He was tall, taller than both her and Shinji, and as he approached, he had a kind of commanding cast to his eyes that said he was the one organizing these people.

“What’s your name?” he asked, sounding a little dead. Maiya could deal with that. She felt a little dead, too.

“Iwaizumi Maiya,” she told him. “This is my son Takeru, and my friend Watari Shinji.”

“And your mate?” He asked. Maiya tried to control her face, shaking her head and tilting it to show her mating mark. She knew it was red now, like a burn, and would be for the rest of her life.

The boy who was trying to be a man looked a little less dead. Maiya couldn’t bring herself to be grateful for the pity.

“You should head north, for Shiratorizawa,” he told her. “We can find you a group to go with. Three isn’t very good for travelling dangerous roads, especially when one is a child.”

That sounded reasonable. It was a plan, which was better than anything she’d had before now. She was about to agree, when she noticed someone over the boy’s shoulder. As much as she could feel relief right now, Maiya felt it seeing Mattsun and Makki.

Makki had his son slung across his back and his arm around a younger boy.

“I see a friend,” Maiya said. Shinji followed her, and so did the boy she’d been talking to, gesturing as he went to two other boys about his age.  

Mattsun stepped closer to Makki when he felt them coming closer, but relaxed as soon as he saw Maiya. There was a sadness in his eyes that let her know he could tell what had happened to her without asking. She didn’t ask if he’d seen her mate die. She didn’t want to know.

“Kunimi,” he said softy, addressing the tall boy that had spoken to her. “And Maiya. It’s good to see you both.”

“Glad to see you survived, Mattsun,” Maiya replied. “You too, Makki. Who’s that?”

The boy tucked into Makki’s side lifted his head, and Maiya heard Shinji shift and gasp next to her.

“Shigeru?”

“You two know each other?” Maiya asked. Now that she looked closer, the other boy did look familiar. She’d probably seen him around the castle on the rare occasions she stayed there for a while, though he looked very different covered in what looked like streaks of dried blood.

“Yahaba Shigeru. We’re childhood friends,” Shinji told her. “We haven’t seen each other as much since I started travelling with you three years ago, but we keep in touch.”

Yahaba still hadn’t said a word, but Shinji took a step closer anyway.

“Shigeru?” he asked, raising his hands slowly. “What happened to you?”

Yahaba stepped carefully away from Makki, falling into Shinji’s arms instead. He was shaking, even if he wasn’t crying.

“What are we going to do now?” Maiya asked, breaking the attention away from Yahaba. He didn’t need to give an account of what was surely the worst night of his life when he was so very clearly still shaken. “Pretty much everyone else has already started to head north.”

“We need to move,” Mattsun said. Maiya was grateful for his cool head. They needed someone to be their leader, and Kunimi had been doing well, but he was young and seemed inexperienced. “It’s not going to be safe here for long. They’ll probably start sweeping for people soon.”

“They?” Shinji asked.

“Karasuno,” Mattsun said. “They broke through all our defenses.”

“I thought the prince was supposed to stop them,” the boy with yellow hair that was following Kunimi said.

“The prince got himself captured or killed,” Kunimi broke in, and there was a jolt of anger to his words now. “Probably killed, based on when we saw him last.”

“The king is dead, and the older prince is captured,” Makki added. “We can’t count on the royal family of Seijoh for help anymore.”

Those words left a grim pallor over everyone. They really were on their own now.

“So what are we doing?” Maiya asked again. “Going north to Shiratorizawa?”

“That sounds like the only option we have left,” Mattsun agreed.

“We should stay to find more survivors,” the tallest boy argued. “We might be the only ones who can help them.”

“We have to help ourselves, too,” Maiya argued. “Makki and Mattsun and I both have children. We can’t exactly wage a war with children on our backs.”

“But we can’t just leave,” the boy with yellow hair snapped, in a voice that was almost a bark.

“We’re not going to get anywhere arguing like this,” Makki broke in smoothly. “Let’s get farther north, at least enough that we can rest for a while. We should probably keep going through the night so we don’t have to risk a fire. We need to rest, and gather supplies if we can, before we make any bigger decisions. Let’s postpone the decision making until after we can be sure we can take care of ourselves.”

It was a reasonable suggestion that didn’t exclude anyone’s opinion, and they couldn’t argue against it. They turned north once again, walking much slower than their original flight, focusing on saving their energy rather than getting to a certain point.

Maiya plodded along, the tugging in her heart making her arms and legs feel heavy. Mattsun tapped her on the shoulder, opening his arms in an invitation to take Takeru for a while. Maiya let him go with gratitude. It was only so long she could hold both herself and her son together.

She knew she shouldn’t feel that way, should only feel grateful that she had survived and that her son had one parent left. But she couldn’t completely kill the part of her that was in mourning, the part that wished she was buried under the ashes of Seijoh with her husband.

She trained her eyes on the ground, and carried on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Mattsun and decisions


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group comes to a decision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Fourth of July to my Americans! Watched some fireworks, had some beer, it's time to make Mattsun's life difficult.   
> A note on couples: in this au, typically only royals and high ranked nobles get married and both take one surname. For most people, mating is legally binding enough, so Makki and Mattsun still have their own surnames (and still call each other Makki and Mattsun because they've been calling each other that for a long time) and so did Maiya and her mate.

Mattsun felt dead on his feet. They’d been walking all night, stumbling over roots and uneven ground, carefully tucking Makki and Maiya to the center of the group to protect the children. As the sun started to rise and they could see the forest around them, all Mattsun wanted to do was fall to the ground and sleep.

That wasn’t an option, though. He and Makki were the oldest in the group, and as someone with experience in leadership as captain of the castle guard, he would have to be the one to take charge. Kunimi had been leading the small trio of him and Kindaichi and Kyoutani, as he’d learned the blond boy was called, but he’d deferred to Mattsun as soon as they’d found each other.

So now he would have to get everyone to decide what they wanted to do. He thought the choice to run north would be an easy one, but it didn’t look like that would be the case. Kindaichi had wanted to stay to find more survivors, and Kyoutani didn’t seem inclined to leave either. Kunimi had that stubborn set to his fine features that meant he probably agreed with Kindaichi and was willing to fight for that side. The gods only knew what Yahaba and Watari wanted. They’d stuck to each other’s sides since the moment they recognized each other, every so often dropping into a murmured conversation.

Mattsun wasn’t even sure his mate was on his side. Makki had defused the argument earlier, getting everyone to wait until they were in a safer place to make a decision, but he hadn’t been strongly in favor of going north. Mattsun had known Makki for a long time, and taking such a middle ground meant he wasn’t entirely sure what he was going to do yet, either.

The only one Mattsun was certain to have on his side was Maiya. It made sense. She’d always been an adventurer and a fighter, but she was a mother too, and she’d mellowed since she’d had Takeru. And now her mate was dead. All she would want right now was a safe place to hold her son and mourn.

“We can’t go any farther for now,” Mattsun said, breaking the silence that had fallen over their group. They’d walked into a clearing, a stream at the edge. At the very least, they’d have water, and if they were lucky, there might be some summer berries for them to scavenge. “It would be best if we could rest through the day so we don’t have to risk a fire at night. Before everyone passes out, we have to decide what we’re doing.”

Everyone looked at each other warily, slowing to a stop before sitting down in small groups in the grass of the clearing. Watari and Yahaba sat together, Kunimi and Kindaichi not far off, and Makki slid in next to Maiya. Only Kyoutani kept to himself.

“First of all, I should mention that I think we should head north, to Shiratorizawa,” Mattsun started bluntly. It was best to lay it all out in the open. “It makes sense. We don’t have enough people to make a real difference. We’re not a real army. As far as I know, Kindaichi, Kunimi, Maiya, Watari, and I are the only trained fighters we have. Against Karasuno occupying Seijoh, there’s really not much we can do. The best we can hope for is going north to the citadel and hoping Shiratorizawa is willing to still honor our alliance.”

“And what if they’re not?” Kunimi asked. Mattsun resisted the urge to grimace. Now he was sure of what side Kunimi would back. “Walking all that way will take weeks, and if they turn us away, which they have every right to do because the nation they made an alliance with no longer exists, we’ll be stuck in the north with winter coming.”

“The queen of Shiratorizawa is a Seijoh noble, and he’s known to be sympathetic to us,” Mattsun argued. “He was close friends with the princes, and he favors them.”

“We don’t even know if the princes are alive,” Kindaichi pointed out. “You said the king is dead, and the last time we saw Kageyama-sama, he was surrounded. There’s no guarantee he survived.”

“I trained Kageyama-sama,” Mattsun said. “Trust me, if there’s any chance he could get out of that situation alive, he’s alive. Most likely, he’s captured now, and so is his brother. The king is dead because he would have fought back, but with Oikawa-sama pregnant, he probably would have stood down to protect his baby. I’d put money on both princes being alive, and as long as they are, the queen will honor our alliance.”

“But we don’t know any of that for sure,” Yahaba broke in from where he was pressed to Watari’s side. “We could easily be running straight into a trap by going north.”

“I’m not sure what you expect to accomplish here,” Mattsun said. “We’re just a bunch of people in a forest, with no supplies to speak of, and currently, no plan. We’ve got children we have to protect. What good would come of staying here?”

“We could fight back,” Kyoutani said. His face was set in his scowl, but his fire eyes were bright. “I don’t have any family left, but there were a lot of people killed in the castle. We shouldn’t take that insult lying down.”

“We don’t have enough people to fight back,” Mattsun tried to protest, but he was overrun by everyone else speaking up.

“If the princes are really still alive, then so is Seijoh,” Kunimi said. “Oikawa-sama was always meant to be the next king, and he’s old enough. As long as he and Kageyama-sama live, Seijoh lives.”

“I don’t really want to give my home up for lost,” Watari added. “I don’t want to spend the rest of my life freezing in the north as a refugee in Shiratorizawa.”

“Better that than dead,” Maiya snapped, and Mattsun was relieved to finally have someone supporting him. “We can build a life in Shiratorizawa. We can’t do that if we die on a suicide mission.”

“You’d be fine leaving your home?” Kunimi asked.

“If it meant my son survives, yes!” Maiya yelled back. Takeru jolted a little where he’d fallen asleep in her lap, but slept on. “I’ve already lost my mate! I’m sure everyone here has lost someone they care about! I’m all my son has left, and I’m not going to make him grow up an orphan because all of you have more pride than sense!”

“But there’s no guarantee that we can build a new life in Shiratorizawa.” Mattsun wanted to cry. Makki had made his choice, apparently. “Like Kunimi said, they could turn us away and we’d be stranded in the north in winter. Jun barely survived his first winter, and that was in Seijoh. I won’t make him suffer through one in Shiratorizawa with no shelter.”

Makki had a good point. Jun had nearly died of a fever last winter, and it was nothing short of a miracle that he’d survived. Mattsun didn’t want to risk his son again.

But at the same time…

“What can we do here?” Mattsun asked again. “We’re eight adults and two children. Maybe half of us are trained fighters. What do you expect to happen here?”

“Fighting isn’t the only way to get our home back,” Kunimi said. “We’ve always learned that you win a war by convincing your opponent that it’s too troublesome to fight, not by obliterating them. We can disrupt supply lines, spy on them, make it too hard to occupy Seijoh. We have options.”

“Options that come with a lot of risk, and we’d still have to fight to make them happen,” Mattsun pointed out.

“So teach us.”

Mattsun turned on Yahaba.

“What?”

“Teach us,” Yahaba repeated. “I’m not a trained fighter. That doesn’t mean I can’t learn.”

“I know how to fight, and so does Kindaichi,” Kunimi said.

“You already know Maiya and I know how to fight, and Makki isn’t exactly helpless,” Watari continued.

“I can use a sword,” Kyoutani spoke up. Mattsun could feel everything closing around him.

“I guess we should put this to a vote,” he sighed. “I’ll go first. I think we should run north to Shiratorizawa. It's the only way I see that we all survive.”

“I agree,” Maiya said, when Mattsun turned to her. “I just want to live in safety with my son. The risk of Shiratorizawa rejecting us is less than the risk of dying fighting a war we can’t win.”

“I want to fight,” Kunimi said simply. “This is my home. They can’t take that away from me.”

“If everyone agreed on going north, I wouldn’t fight it,” Kindaichi said. “But I want my home back. I want to fight.”

“I’m sorry Maiya,” Watari said. “I’ve followed you on a lot of adventures, but I can’t follow you north now, not when there’s something I have to protect.”

“I watched them kill my father,” Yahaba said, when Mattsun met his eyes. “I’d like to taste some Karasuno blood. I want to stay to fight.”

“I want to fight back,” was all Kyoutani said, to the surprise of no one. With a heavy heart, Mattsun turned to the last person to vote.

“Makki?”

“I want to fight,” he replied. “I don’t want to risk Jun’s health, and even then, don’t you think he deserves to grow up in the same home we did? I think he does, and I think that’s worth fighting for.”

Mattsun took a deep breath.

“Majority rule,” he said softly. “We’ll stay, and try to figure something out. I can’t promise that it’ll work, or that there’s anything we can even do, but we’ll play it by ear and do what we can. I still think running north is a good plan, but if everyone wants to stay, then we’ll stay.”

It felt like a sigh of relief swept through the group. Now that they had direction, now that they had a plan, everything seemed a little brighter.

“I’ll take first watch, so everyone, try to get some sleep,” Mattsun said. “Kunimi, you’re up next. Makki, can I talk to you for a minute?”

Everyone settled in around the clearing. Watari and Yahaba curled up back to back and threw Watari’s cloak over their heads. Kunimi just threw an arm over his eyes while Kindaichi curled protectively next to him. Kyoutani pulled the hood on his light jacket over his eyes, looking a bit like a lost archer. Maiya clutched Takeru to her chest and wrapped them both in her cloak.

Makki settled down by Mattsun’s side.

“You’re not mad, are you?” he asked. Mattsun sighed.

“I’m not mad,” he said. “I think we’re making the wrong choice, but we can always take another vote later when they see what the choice means for them.”

“I know the risks,” Makki said. “I just think the risk of going north is bigger.”

Mattsun hummed, focusing mostly on looking for threats through his groggy vision.

“And I’ll take care of Jun,” Makki continued. “It’s not…going to be easy, watching you go off to fight something you might not beat without me, but someone has to take care of Jun, and I’m sure Maiya will stay with Takeru. We can do this.”

“As long as we stay together, we can figure something out,” Mattsun agreed.

Whatever that something might be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Yahaba and nightmares


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yahaba has nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: Yahaba doesn't have to be this much of a gremlin  
> Me @me: yeah but what if he was
> 
> I'm really attached to Yahaba being a complete gremlin, and I deserve to have a little fun, so. Enjoy KyouHaba arguing and Mattsun being Tired.

_It was normal, but it wasn’t._

_The castle was how it had always been, how Shigeru had always seen it since he had moved here as a little boy. Muted pastels, casual richness. It was elegant, if minimalist._

_But it was all wrong._

_Shigeru could hear the shouts in the distance, coming closer with each passing minute. And he sat there mutely, like a good boy, like he’d always been trained to do._

_Father sat by the door, as calm and collected as he’d always appeared. If Shigeru hadn’t learned which signs to look for, he wouldn’t have seen the fear at all. He wouldn’t have seen death approaching in Father’s eyes._

_Then there were strangers around them, men with swords, and Shigeru couldn’t get enough air in his lungs. Father was pushing him out into the hallways and telling him to run, and Shigeru was trying to say he wouldn’t leave alone, when…_

_When the blood from the artery in Father’s neck sprayed all over him._

Shigeru sat up, barely biting down on the scream in his throat. Shinji stirred, the light sneaking under the cloak they’d thrown over both of them. Shigeru tried to lay back down, tried to let them both go back to sleep – it was barely afternoon, and they would be walking all night again – but Shinji was both too good and too terrible a friend to let him.

“Nightmare again?” he asked. Shigeru nodded. “Same thing?”

“Always the same thing,” Shigeru replied. “As if living it once wasn’t enough.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“What’s there to talk about?” Shigeru scoffed. “I watched my father die. It’s not like repeating that will make it go away.”

“You can talk about other stuff,” Shinji said softly, trying not to disturb the others. “It’s okay to say you miss home, or things like that.”

“Not really helpful, though, is it?” Shigeru said. “Go back to sleep, Shinji. We have to be up in the evening to teach me how to use a sword, right? Can’t have me holding everyone back.”

“You’re not holding everyone back.”

“I’m pretty sure being the only one with no idea how to fight is making me the weak link here.”

“It’s not your fault you don’t know how to fight. You weren’t trained. You weren’t supposed to be a warrior.”

“But I have to be now,” Shigeru argued. “It doesn’t matter. Just go to sleep. You can watch Kyouken glare at me in a few hours.”

Shinji quieted down, his breathing evening out until Shigeru was sure his friend had fallen back into a light sleep. Shigeru had pretty much given the prospect up for lost.

He’d had a nightmare basically every night since they’d fled from Seijoh, and after a few weeks, it was less traumatizing and more exhausting. Shigeru would give just about anything for a good night’s sleep.

Well. A good day’s sleep. In the interest of not risking drawing attention to themselves by having a fire to protect sleeping people during the night, they spent their nights moving about as necessary and their days sleeping in relative safety. Evenings were their most productive, the time when they gathered what food they could find and did their best to either make supplies or find alternatives.

It was the time they trained.

Matsukawa had been the captain of the castle guard, and he was a good teacher – patient, blunt when necessary, and with a good eye for problems. The thing was, Shigeru wasn’t learning fast enough. Even though he objectively knew it wasn’t entirely his fault that he’d been trained from birth to be more of a prize than an independent person. His skills were sitting still and looking pretty, and twisting the conversation to show off his best points, not holding a weapon.

Not that he’d ever _liked_ that life very much. It wasn’t like he’d had a choice. It was uncommon for omegas to be treated like that in Seijoh, but not entirely unheard of. His father had been a social climber, and marrying a son off to a higher ranked noble would have catapulted his father up the social ladder.

Shigeru grimaced at the memory of his father presenting him to the crown prince of Shiratorizawa, when Ushijima-sama had come down from the north seeking a queen. He’d been fourteen at the time, and still had had to play like some kind of seducer, which had felt very gross and a little embarrassing at the time. Luckily, Ushijima-sama had recognized the situation for what it was and had been kind in turning Shigeru down.

Father had been starting to give him sideways looks, talking about getting him a good marriage before he got too old. As if he wasn’t only twenty. As if he wasn’t still young for a mating pair in Seijoh.

No matter how much Shigeru had resented his father, he was still his father, and Shigeru had watched him die. If he was in the mood for introspection, he’d admit that it was more traumatizing than he wanted to think about.

Too bad he wasn’t in the mood for introspection, and wouldn’t be for the foreseeable future.

He only had to wait a few hours, pretending to sleep in the hopes that he actually would get a little more rest, before Shinji started to stir for real. Sunlight was fading fast, and everyone was starting to wake up.

Shigeru stretched his neck until it cracked. Sleeping on the hard ground wasn’t exactly doing wonders for his spine, not that he was going to be the first to complain about it. If he’d wanted an easy life, he could’ve voted to go north, where at least they’d probably have shelter.

He and Shinji went to get water from the stream they’d been following. Having a source of fresh water was one of the few things keeping them going, since new sources of food were few and far between. Kyoutani had managed to trap some animals, but it was hardly a steady source. They would probably have to find somewhere to get real supplies if they wanted to continue this for much longer.

They ran into Kyoutani on their way back from the stream, and Shinji had long since learned to take the water skin from Shigeru’s hands. Shigeru narrowed his eyes at the scowl Kyoutani directed at them.

“What’s your problem?” he snapped, probably angrier than he needed too, but Kyoutani had rubbed him the wrong way from the start.

“I don’t have a problem,” Kyoutani said, his voice a low grumble.

“Really?” Shigeru asked. “Because you look like you do. Maybe that’s just your awful teamwork skills showing, though.”

Shigeru might have been the worst fighter by a significant margin, but Kyoutani was nearly as bad when Matsukawa tried to do any drill that required cooperation. He’d pay no attention to stealth, running in and attacking whatever target they were practicing on because apparently “it doesn’t feel good unless I hit them with all I’ve got.”

“At least I can actually use a sword,” Kyoutani snapped back. “What’s so hard about it? Just stick them with the pointy end. Even you should be able to handle that.”

“Even _me?_ ” Shigeru nearly shrieked. “I’m not stupid. It’s not _my_ fault I’m not some meathead alpha that’s been hitting everything in sight since the day I learned I had arms.”

“Maybe you’d be less useless if you had,” Kyoutani shot at him. “Just stay with Maiya and help watch the children. Hanamaki can defend himself, at least.”

“He’s practically going to have to defend himself from you!” Shigeru yelled, getting in Kyoutani’s face. “You always rush in, and last time you nearly broke Kindaichi’s ankle! At least I won’t be getting someone on _my own team_ killed!”

“Yes you will!” Kyoutani barked. “They’ll be covering your ass, because you can’t cover it yourself with your princess complex, and they’ll die!”

“That is _enough_.”

Shigeru felt a hand in the back of his shirt, yanking him away from Kyoutani. Kyoutani was yanked away at the same time, head snapping back. Matsukawa looked at them both, a supremely unamused look on his face.

“You two need to realize that we are on the same side here,” Matsukawa told them. “You’re not helping by going for each other’s throats every time you’re within spitting distance. I get that it’s not easy to be an unmated alpha and omega around each other…”

“That’s not…” Shigeru sputtered.

“He’s not…” Kyoutani started.

“… _but_ you’re going to have to learn how to share space,” Matsukawa continued, not missing a beat at their outbursts. “Avoid each other if you have to. I’m sick of breaking up your fights every time you look at each other.”

Matsukawa let go of their shirts, leaving them to it. Shigeru turned back to Kyoutani.

“Just for the record, Kyouken-chan,” Shigeru started sweetly, “I wouldn’t sleep with you if you were the last person on earth and I was in the middle of heat.”

“The feeling is mutual,” Kyoutani grumbled. “And stop calling me that.”

“But it’s a perfect nickname,” Shigeru said. He really didn’t want to get scolded again today, though, so he took off after Matsukawa’s retreating back. He fell in step with the older beta, following him to a flat part of the clearing they’d settled in to work on footwork.

“You don’t have to pick a fight with him every time, you know,” Matsukawa said. “He mostly keeps to himself if you just leave him alone.”

“He’s always glaring at me,” Shigeru replied. “Am I just supposed to take that?”

“I think that’s just his face,” Matsukawa said. “I doubt he has a problem with you specifically. Well. I doubt he had a problem with you when you met. He probably doesn’t like you now.”

“Good. I don’t like him.”

“Just show me your footwork.”

Shigeru complied, going through the drills Matsukawa had given him to work on while he worked with everyone else, who actually knew what they were doing.

“Better,” Matsukawa said when he was done.

“But not perfect,” Shigeru said. He’d felt where he’d stepped wrong, where he hadn’t moved his body right. He’d tried, but it was like his limbs just wouldn’t obey him.

“I don’t expect you to be perfect yet,” Matsukawa told him. “Honestly, this kind of progress would be cause for praise in a new recruit back in Seijoh. You’re learning fast. This won’t happen overnight.”

“We don’t have the luxury of progressing at the pace of a new recruit in Seijoh,” Shigeru said. “I need years’ worth of training, and I need it soon. I don’t want to be a burden.”

“You don’t have to fight to help us,” Matsukawa said. “You can always help take care of a base camp with Makki or Maiya.”

“I don’t want to be just some docile omega that hangs out waiting for his alpha to come home,” Shigeru sighed.

“Keeping a safe place ready and protected is just as important as going off to fight,” Matsukawa said, giving him a reproachful look. “Makki and Maiya both know how to fight, but they stay back anyway, and it’s not just to look after their children. They understand the importance of having a place where we can tend to wounds and regroup. Makki knows a bit about healing, and Maiya probably has some arcane knowledge she found on some adventure. Why not let them teach you and help us that way?”

“I don’t want to be a healer, either,” Shigeru said, knowing exactly how petulant he sounded and not really caring. “I want to fight!”

“There’s more than one way to fight a war,” Matsukawa sighed. “You have a mind for it that’s probably only rivaled by Kunimi’s.”

“I don’t know anything about battle strategy,” Shigeru said. “And if I did, that would all be based on armies, not vigilantes.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Matsukawa said. “You have a mind for diplomacy. I’ve heard your conversations with Watari. You can talk your way out of anything. That’s a skill not many people have, and you can probably do it better than Kunimi, even if Kunimi has long term planning skills that you don’t. That’s something we can use, if we find the right people.”

“What are you planning?” Shigeru asked.

“It’s Kunimi’s idea, mostly,” Matsukawa admitted. “He thinks Seijoh refugees that couldn’t get out of the castle or couldn’t get north will probably be gathered into one place so Karasuno can keep an eye on them. That’s the kind of place where a rebellion can start, if you have the right words.”

Shigeru’s eyes widened. He hadn’t thought that far ahead. He hadn’t thought this could actually _work_. Mostly, when he thought about where this ended, he thought about going out in a blaze of glory, killing foreign soldiers the same way his father had been slaughtered.

But now there was an endgame.

“Keep working on your footwork and forms,” Matsukawa told him. “If you’re determined to be a fighter, the basics are what will carry you through. It won’t happen in a day, but if you keep working as hard as you have been, I can promise you’ll see results. Just don’t forget to keep your other weapons sharp.”

Shigeru nodded, falling back into practicing the drills as Matsukawa went to the others. He felt himself step _almost_ right this time, his core and arms _almost_ in sync. He grinned.

He wasn’t going down easily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the record, Mattsun is wrong. There is no sexual tension. It's more "strong personalities that don't know how to fit together yet" tension. The attraction comes so much later.   
> Next time: Kindaichi


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kindaichi and Kunimi dance around each other

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to make Kindaichi's life difficult

“Do you really think we can make a difference here?”

Yuutarou ducked the particularly vicious swing Akira aimed at him for that question. Even practicing by using the flats of their blades, a strike like that would leave a nasty bruise.

“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think we could do something,” Akira said sharply. “You know me better than that by now. If I don’t think I can come out of a situation with a net gain, I cut my losses and run.”

“That’s what makes you scary,” Yuutarou told him.

“Shut up and fight me, Yuu.”

It was nice, to have this rhythm to fall back on. They’d been sparring practically since they’d met as little kids, when they’d still been “Yuu-chan” and “Aki-chan” to each other. Granted, Yuutarou was still “Yuu” sometimes, when Akira was feeling particularly affectionate or particularly sarcastic.

He knew better than to try and call his best friend “Aki”.

Truthfully, he would have been fine with making a run for the north. Even though he’d argued for staying to find as many survivors as they could, his end goal had always been getting them to safety, and right now, Shiratorizawa looked like the safest place.

He’d expected Akira to vote for going north. Akira had never been one for suicide missions, no matter how much he might believe in the cause. Just like leaving Kageyama, just like leaving anyone who’d been left in the castle when they ran, Akira would have cut his ties to Seijoh and run like the wind if he really thought there was no hope.

Not that Yuutarou knew exactly why Akira had a reason to hope. He’d never had the mind for planning that Akira always had, though they’d both been at the top of their class growing up. Akira had a talent for playing the long game that Yuutarou never would.

But if Akira was here now, preparing for the fight of their lives, it was because he had at least the idea for a plan. Yuutarou already knew he would follow Akira blindfolded into a battle, because everything would be planned so meticulously that no one would touch him.

Akira sidestepped, trying to avoid Yuutarou’s much longer reach, but they’d been sparring partners for a long time, and Yuutarou was ready for him. Stepping forward, sliding their blades together until he could trap them against Akira’s chest, and slipping a foot behind his friend’s ankle to pull as he pushed until Akira was flat on his back.

“You’ve always been smarter than me,” Yuutarou told him, grinning at the scowl Akira threw his way. “But I’m still faster and stronger than you.”

“Even idiots can learn,” Akira grumbled, but he accepted Yuutarou’s offer of a hand up. “Ah, shit.”

“What?”

“Something in my eye.”

Akira lifted his hand, already forming a fist to rub at his eye. Yuutarou caught it before he could.

“You’ll just make it worse that way,” he said, lifting his other hand to Akira’s face. “Let me.”

Akira stood still, left eye twitching at whatever was irritating it, while Yuutarou leaned in to get a closer look.

A piece of hair had somehow gotten into Akira’s eye, stuck from the corner and across the iris. Yuutarou swiped his thumb to the corner of Akira’s eye, pinching gently to lift the hair away. Akira blinked rapidly as the irritant was removed and his sight went back to normal.

“Your hair is getting really long,” Yuutarou told him. Akira made some soft noise of annoyance.

“I know,” he replied. “I was meaning to cut it when we were still back in Seijoh, and I just haven’t had time to deal with it.”

“It looks good,” Yuutarou said honestly. “You should leave it like this. Just pull the top part into a ponytail, and that should keep the bangs out of your eyes.”

“Because I’m definitely in a hurry to take advice about my hair from the guy who just has to keep it short and it dries in this ridiculous radish shape,” Akira shot back, but not in a mean way. That was just Akira having a bit of fun, and Yuutarou had long since learned to tell when his best friend was showing affection and when he was trying to cause harm.

“Here, look, it’ll be good,” Yuutarou assured him, reaching to his bag for a leather tie. He walked around Akira to gather half of his hair into a ponytail, tying the leather around it and fixing it in place. He stepped back around to get a good look at his handiwork.

The result was a success. Any hair that might get in his eyes was pulled up and away from his face, but the hair that was still too short to fit in a ponytail hung halfway down Akira’s neck. The look pulled the sides of Akira’s face up and wide, making fine bones and high cheeks that could be pinched look elegant.

Akira looked beautiful.

Yuutarou realized only now how close they were standing, how his hand was still in Akira’s hair, and how Akira really wasn’t that much shorter than him, despite the almost feminine face that usually belonged to male omegas.

“Akira,” he said softly, sliding his hand deeper into Akira’s hair.

Akira abruptly stepped back, shaking Yuutarou’s hands off himself. Yuutarou was just quick enough to catch the look that was equal parts anger and sadness on Akira’s face.

Not that Yuutarou understood _why_ Akira always looked like that whenever Yuutarou stepped in close. He didn’t understand why his best friend always had a look like regret on his face when he stepped away.

His feelings for Akira weren’t exactly news to him. He’d long since gotten past the confusion of Akira coming out of puberty looking almost too pretty to be a boy, but still distinctively masculine in a way that was equal parts comforting and thrilling. Even with the increase in height and the refinement of his features, though, Akira had still been the same boy Yuutarou had met when they were five, still the same boy he’d called “Aki-chan” and chased bugs with and fallen in creeks and come home to a scolding about getting covered in mud when they were meant to be in their lessons.

And Yuutarou had always loved Akira, but somehow that had shifted to _in love_ when they were fifteen. Yuutarou had never been able to figure out where their friendship ended and his feelings began, or if they were all the same feelings – the longer he had them, the more he thought it was the latter. He loved Akira because they were the closest of friends, and he loved Akira because they were still growing into their friendship.

There was also the physical attraction, which had been quite the rude awakening at age sixteen, when Akira’s voice had finally stopped cracking and settled into a low register that could make Yuutarou shiver. His beautiful face, his lithe, elegantly muscled body…

It was no wonder that Yuutarou had fallen for him, even ignoring their long friendship. If he’d met Akira as an adult, he was sure the other would still have him wrapped around a finger.

What was a more recent discovery was Akira’s feelings for him. Yuutarou had taken a long time to come to this decision, but he was certain. Akira had romantic feelings of some kind for him. It was all in the way he acted around Yuutarou, softer than he was with other people without the fear of the world keeping up his walls. It was in the way he would leave a hand just a little too long on Yuutarou’s shoulder, the way his teasing had become almost exclusively friendly and almost never cutting.

What Yuutarou couldn’t understand was _why_ Akira insisted on pulling away. Those looks of regret, the way Akira always seemed a little sad after he forced himself to pull away – and he did force himself, Yuutarou could see his reluctance – were confusing. It wasn’t like they were of wildly different social classes, and it wasn’t as if their parents hadn’t become at least resigned to their closeness.

Besides, what place did class and standing have now that Seijoh was gone? The reason had to be something that Yuutarou just couldn’t see, not sharing Akira’s skill for thinking. Yuutarou just wished Akira would tell him what that reason was. Every time he tried to ask, though, Akira deflected the questions with a conversational skill Yuutarou hadn’t realized he’d had. It hurt to imagine that he might have learned it just for this situation.

“We should go see Matsukawa,” Akira said, voice subdued. “He might have important stuff to tell us.”

Yuutarou nodded, following Akira’s retreating back, as Akira must have known he would. Yuutarou would never fail to follow him.

The rest of the group was assembled, and Yuutarou could feel tension pulling at the edges. They weren’t a cohesive unit by any stretch of the imagination. Maiya was always looking north, her son close to her side, and Matsukawa wasn’t much better. Yahaba and Kyoutani stood as far away from each other as they could get while still listening to Matsukawa, with Watari as some kind of mediator between them, though it was clear which would have his loyalty if push came to shove.

One or both of them was going to leave if they didn’t resolve things.

Kyoutani would be a blow to lose – despite his shitty teamwork skills, he was a valuable fighter – but Yuutarou really worried about Yahaba. He didn’t really want that blood on his conscience, and there was no way Yahaba would survive on his own. The one thing that soothed him was Yahaba’s obvious bloodlust every time he worked through the footwork that Yuutarou had learned as a child, a kind of savage gleam in his eyes every time he got it right.

Yuutarou didn’t really want to know what he was imagining.

Matsukawa once again told them that there was nothing new. They were still moving, but they hadn’t found anything or anyone. Yuutarou grimaced. This suspended state of limbo was doing no one any favors. If they didn’t pick a direction soon, this group was going to crumble.

When Matsukawa finished, Yuutarou watched Akira walk away before he could say anything about the talk. He really wanted to know why Akira hadn’t cut his losses with this group yet, but Akira would probably be distant for a while until the memory of them so close their bodies were nearly pressed together faded.

Yuutarou just wanted to feel less lost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Watari, and the team starts to fall apart


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Watari watches the group fall apart and come back together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally the group is getting a little cohesion

One thing Shinji had learned over the course of his life was to listen long before he spoke. After all, the one who held the information was the one with the most power.

Spending most of his time observing before stepping into situations meant he had a pretty good look at the problems everyone was having from an outsider’s perspective, and what he was seeing here wasn’t good. They hadn’t exactly been a team from the start, but they’d at least had the common goal of survival to keep them together. Now that they couldn’t agree on how to get to the goal of survival, tensions were starting to pull the team apart.

Maiya had made it clear that she wanted to go north with Takeru, and she hadn’t budged on that stance. The only thing keeping her from leaving the group and going by herself was the problems with keeping a young child safe on the road alone.

Shinji felt a little guilty, knowing that Maiya had probably been counting on him for support. It made sense. After all, he’d followed her to so many places, so far flung from his home in Seijoh.

But Shinji wasn’t ready to leave. He wasn’t ready to leave Shigeru on his own, for one. Even more than that, he wasn’t ready to give Seijoh up for lost. He wanted to protect the place that had always been his home. He refused to accept that everything was gone forever, that he would never run through those gardens again, never see the girl he’d chased through them, her laugh making his heart fly like the birds she was named for.

He’d made a promise to Asuka, and he didn’t even know if she was still alive when he hadn’t seen her in months, barely making it back to the castle before the attack and not having seen her. But until he knew for sure she hadn’t survived, he was going to do everything he could to protect her, and that meant protecting Seijoh.

That meant saving Seijoh.

Maiya wasn’t the only problem. Mattsun had wanted to run north too, and while he would accept whatever the group decided like the good leader he was, it wasn’t exactly comforting for those in the middle to know their leader was leaning away from the path they were taking. At least he and his mate seemed to have come to some sort of agreement.

Shinji wasn’t sure about the pair of Kindaichi and Kunimi. Kunimi seemed certain enough in his position, or at least a good enough actor to hide any doubts, but Kindaichi was just the opposite. Shinji doubted Kindaichi would leave without Kunimi – they seemed practically joined at the hip – but there was some kind of tension between the two. If he had to guess, Shinji would say that Kindaichi wasn’t entirely sure why they were staying at all.

And then there was Shigeru and Kyoutani. They were the real problem children, even if it was only because they were the ones expressing the tension everyone was feeling. They’d been avoiding each other as well as they could in such close quarters, but considering they’d stayed in the same place for nearly a week, everyone was getting restless.

The drills Mattsun gave them helped, and working under the moonlight was training them for the kind of clandestine attacks they’d probably have to use to do anything against Karasuno, but it didn’t change the fact that they were stuck in one place with a group that was only barely held together by the vague promise of a plan. Something was going to have to give, and Shinji could tell it was going to be soon.

Mattsun could probably tell, too. He looked tired as he waved to get their attention, even more so with his naturally droopy eyes.

“We’re still trying to figure out a plan of attack,” Mattsun admitted. “I know it’s not the answer any of you want to hear, but we have to be careful, or we’ll all die in a fight we can’t win.”

“We’re going to die anyway,” Maiya muttered. “This is a suicide mission, and you know it.”

“You’re not helping, Maiya,” Makki told her. “We voted to stay. Grumbling about it now will only make it harder.”

“What are we supposed to do with a few castle-trained sword fighters, a loose cannon that’s just as likely to kill us as our enemy, and a spoiled princess who still can’t hold a sword right?” Maiya snapped. “Even if we had some idea, what could we do about it?”

“I know how to hold a sword,” Shigeru snapped back, because of course he did. For all that his father had tried to beat that rebellious streak out of him, Shigeru was fiercely independent and proud. “And I’m getting better at using it, too.”

“Could have fooled me,” Kyoutani muttered, just a little too loud to be under his breath. There was no way Shigeru was going to let that slide when everyone in the group had heard it.

“Like you’re any better when we have to work as a group,” Shigeru hissed. “And we’re supposed to be on the same side here. We both want to fight. Back me up.”

“Backing you up will get me killed,” Kyoutani growled. “You’d trip over your own feet and stab me instead of whoever we’re fighting.”

“Say that again!”

“Guys, please,” Mattsun tried to step in to intervene.

“At least Yahaba is trying to learn,” Kindaichi went in after Kyoutani. “You refuse to admit your own shortcomings. We’re doing this as a team. You keep trying to fight solo. _That’s_ what’s going to get someone killed.”

“I can’t believe you’re still complaining about your ankle,” Kyoutani said. “It’s fine. It should be healed already. Get over it.”

“You’re just making everything worse,” Makki started hotly, rounding on Kyoutani.

“Why don’t you all shut up,” Kunimi said, and it was quiet, but deadly. Shinji felt a shiver of dread go down his spine, and Kunimi’s anger wasn’t even aimed at him. “Yahaba, you really are pretty useless in a fight. It’s not your fault, but stop pretending it’s otherwise. Kyoutani, you’re a liability if you keep acting the way you do. And the way you two go for each other’s throats every time you make eye contact is just making everything worse.

“And Maiya?” he said, turning to her. “We all know you don’t want to be here. North’s that way if you decide you want to leave, but if you’re staying, at least pretend you want to be here.”

“Kunimi, maybe you should…” Mattsun started, but Kunimi interrupted him.

“None of you have eyes, do you?” he asked. At their blank and some murderous looks, he rolled his eyes, pointing to the distance. “None of you saw the campfire smoke?”

Shinji turned, and sure enough, there was smoke coming from the south. It was enough that the fire had to be of a pretty big size, the kind you might see in the camp of a travelling company.

“So?” Shigeru asked, finding his voice first. “What’s your point?”

“My _point_ is that it’s big enough that it can only belong to a group of soldiers that think they’re beyond being attacked,” Kunimi said, voice acidic and sharp. “You want a plan? Here’s a plan. We’re going to kill every Karasuno soldier there, and we’re going to look for things we can use to get Seijoh back from Karasuno.”

“How?” Shinji asked, finally speaking up. “What’s the plan?”

Kunimi fixed him with sharp eyes.

“Now we can get to work,” he said. “Here’s my ideas. Anyone with a helpful thought, feel free to chime in.”

Kunimi started outlining a basic idea for a plan to outfight a group larger than theirs while Shinji edged around the circle to where Maiya stood.

“Are you feeling alright?” he asked, a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sure Kunimi didn’t mean to be that harsh. He’s just trying to make sure we can win this fight.”

Maiya sighed.

“I’ve been pretty horrible, haven’t I?” she asked.

“You’re still mourning your mate, and you’re worried about your son,” Shinji said. “No one blames you for being angry, and scared. I’m worried about the children too.”

“I just don’t know what to do,” she sighed, leaning over to rest her head on Shinji’s shoulder. “I just want to crawl into a cave somewhere and lick my wounds, and cry over my mate, and I have to be both parents for Takeru. I’ve never had to do this alone. I don’t want to do this alone.”

“You don’t have to,” Shinji told her. “You have all of us. I know we’re not a replacement for your mate, but Makki and Mattsun would be thrilled to help you with Takeru. It’s alright to lean on us. We can have your back while you mourn your mate. You deserve that much, at least.”

She gave him a small smile that was only a little watery, and turned back to where Kunimi was wrapping up his spiel, aided by Mattsun’s additions. Shinji was surprised to discover that, while risky, the plan should allow them to take out a much larger group without any casualties to themselves. Kunimi was a little scary. Shinji was glad he was on their side.

“We should probably scout the area around that campfire before we set anything in stone, though,” Kunimi said. “Probably not tonight. It’s almost dawn, and they’ll all be awake and moving soon. We can go tomorrow night with a few people, just to take a look.”

“Is everyone alright with this?” Mattsun asked. Nods of agreement went around the clearing. “Good. Now we have a goal. Take out that Karasuno company.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Kyoutani and his terrible teamwork


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team attacks a company

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First arc (what the fuck are we doing) is over. Second arc (here's what the fuck we're doing) is starting. And dear god am I happy to get to some action.

“So we’ve all got the plan down, right?” Kunimi asked. They’d just gotten back from scouting out the Karasuno company. Kindaichi had nearly gotten them discovered because he wasn’t being stealthy enough, and it had only been Kentarou jerking him back by his shirt that had saved them.

He could’ve done a much better job on his own. Scouting and anything else that required stealth was a job better performed with one person, and he’d always worked better on his own than with others. Ever since his dad had died a few years back, he’d been on his own, and he did just fine on his own. He didn’t need anyone else.

He had to agree, though, that Kunimi’s plan was solid, even if it took a few risks. He’d never been afraid of taking risks, and they could definitely pull it off. Even if it meant putting up with everyone else for a little longer, he would go along with it.

Kentarou would be handling the frontal assault, while Matsukawa, Kunimi, Kindaichi, and Watari surrounded the company to pinch them and take them out on all sides. It would be risky because they’d found earlier that about twenty men were travelling with the company, and if they figured out what was going on, they would easily outnumber the five of them. It depended entirely on the element of surprise.

Kentarou would just take out anyone who crossed his path that wasn’t on his side. He was itching to fight someone from Karasuno anyway. He’d actually kind of liked his hired job in the castle. It was the longest he’d been in one place since his dad had died, and it pissed him off that he couldn’t have that anymore. It had been nice to have a place where he kind of felt like he belonged, where there was always a roof over his head and warm food in the kitchen. He was a simple man with simple needs, and it had been nice to have those needs met.

They slept through the day and waited for night to fall. Kentarou had taken well to the nocturnal schedule they kept, switching to sleeping during the day much easier than the older members with them and the children. He’d been nocturnal before when it was convenient for him, and it was easy to do it now.

They waited for it to become fully night before they left, using just the light of the half moon and their better developed night vision to guide them. Kentarou had walked this exact path before when they’d scouted yesterday, and his feet were sure under him. They definitely had the advantage at night against soldiers that had been working during the day.

Kentarou waited behind a tree, just far enough away from the camp that the lookout wouldn’t be able to see him. Backlit against the campfire, though, Kentarou could see everything. Everyone else was moving to surround the camp. Kentarou was supposed to wait for the signal: Watari whistling, mimicking an owl. Anyone who’d lived in this area before would recognize the difference between that sound and a real owl, but soldiers from Karasuno wouldn’t be able to.

He was getting antsy, shifting on the balls of his feet. What was taking them so long? It shouldn’t take that long to surround a camp of this size. Had they gotten themselves captured?

A soft whistling sound let him know that no, they hadn’t, and the plan was still on. He moved forward quickly, so quickly that even when the lookout saw him, he didn’t have time to do more than cry out a warning before Kentarou’s sword was slicing across his throat.

Kentarou looked up at the eyes of every company member that was awake focusing on him. He grinned, baring his teeth in a look that was more growl than smile, and moved forward again. Even the ones that had been awake when he’d attacked were slow and fell easily, and the ones that were waking from sleep and reaching for weapons were no threat, especially when the others came out of the trees to attack from the back.

As Kunimi had predicted, with both surprise and speed on their side, they were able to take down the entire company without losing any of their own. Kentarou was feeling pretty proud of himself. He’d been able to go all out, and because of the nature of Kunimi’s plan, he’d been far enough away from his own people that he could do it without worrying about things like hurting someone on his own side.

A small sniffle made him glance to the side. One of the tents the soldiers were using was open, flapping in the light breeze, and Kentarou shifted closer to it warily. Had a soldier hung back, hiding, only to attack them now?

He threw back the tent flap, only to discover three women inside. They all shrieked in unison at his appearance, leaning into each other in fear, and now that Kentarou looked closer, he could see that they were barely more than girls.

“Um.”

He looked in everyone else’s direction. Screaming girls weren’t his thing. He wasn’t prepared to talk to them, calm them down. He’d just come here to kill soldiers. He was better at fighting than talking.

Watari approached, looking at the girls, and they must have seen something in his face worth trusting, because they all calmed down immediately.

“You’re all from Seijoh, aren’t you?” he asked gently. The girls nodded. Kentarou could see, as they scooted out of the tent and into the light, that they all had the taller statures and dark hair and eyes that were common in Seijoh and not the bright colors of Karasuno. “What are you doing here?”

“They took us from the refugee camp,” the bravest of the three girls replied. “They said they had to have someone to keep them entertained in this foreign land.”

“Refugee camp?” Watari asked, nose crinkling at the second part. Kentarou felt a little sick at the implication too.

“They have a refugee camp of survivors from Seijoh,” she said. “I don’t think they were supposed to take us. The captain was saying something about keeping it quiet, because there would be trouble if word got back to the king and queen. I think the soldiers are just supposed to keep Seijoh citizens in line, but not kill them.”

Kentarou couldn’t understand _why_. They’d come here to conquer Seijoh, hadn’t they? What was the point of keeping Seijoh alive?

“Do you happen to know what happened to the two princes?” Kunimi asked. “Even if it’s just rumors, it’ll help us.”

“I heard a soldier say that they were marrying Kageyama-sama off to the crown prince of Karasuno,” a smaller, shyer girl spoke up. “I don’t know if it’s true, but…”

“They’re building an empire,” Kunimi breathed. Kentarou looked at him, seeing sharp eyes that were alight with some idea. “I thought they just wanted something that Seijoh had and were taking it by force, but they want an empire. They’re trying to assimilate Seijoh into Karasuno.”

“You think that’s what they’re doing?” Matsukawa asked.

“It’s the only thing that makes sense,” Kunimi said. “If they just wanted to conquer, they wouldn’t bother with a refugee camp or with marrying their crown prince to Kageyama. Not that that’s going to work anyway.”

“Couldn’t they just force him?” Kentarou asked.

“Force Kageyama to mate with someone?” Kunimi scoffed. “I worked with him, and trust me, they’d have to kill him first. He had some working deal with his brother where he wouldn’t try for the throne if his brother promised to never try to marry him off. He’s definitely not going to agree to the crown prince just because they want him to. I bet he’s causing all kinds of trouble in Karasuno.”

“It’s just a rumor,” Matsukawa warned. “We still don’t know for sure that it’s true.”

“It would be in our best interest to find out,” Kunimi said. “Actually…can you three show us where the refugee camp is?” he asked, turning back to the three girls. They nodded in unison.

“We can take care of you until we can find the camp,” Matsukawa promised. “After that, we’ll probably have to ask you to stay there. I’m sorry about that, but we can’t really carry around anyone extra.”

“Who are you?” the same girl they’d been talking to asked. “You say you’re from Seijoh, but you haven’t been in the refugee camp, and you just killed all these Karasuno soldiers.”

“We’re trying to get Seijoh back,” Kunimi told her. “And if what you just told us is true, you might have just given us the tool we need to do it.”

The girls looked pleased with his answer. Kentarou liked it too. He still didn’t know what Kunimi was planning, but anything that put an evil glint in his eyes like that had to be good. He’d already proven himself as a leader to Kentarou, so Kentarou would follow him.

“We should burn these bodies,” Kunimi went on. “There are a lot of supplies here for us, and it’ll be easier to just move everyone else here. I assume you don’t want your son seeing the dead bodies?”

“I’d prefer that, yes,” Matsukawa said. “I’m sure Maiya would appreciate Takeru not having to see dead bodies either.”

“Then we should get to work.”

It was kind of gross work, but Kentarou had done worse to make sure he had enough to eat after his father died. The fire was big enough to fit everyone, although not all at once. They had to build another bonfire for the rest of the bodies. It would probably take leaving it burning until morning to really get them to all disappear.

As they worked, Kentarou listened to Kunimi and Matsukawa talking.

“What exactly are you thinking?” Matsukawa asked, hoisting a body over his shoulder.

“A nation trying to build an empire works very differently from a nation just trying to conquer,” Kunimi replied. “They’re going to have to build supply chains and infrastructure to make sure they can get through our land. We can disrupt that and make it harder for them to get a chokehold on all of Seijoh. We have the upper hand in convincing them that trying for this isn’t worth it if they’re trying to assimilate us instead of kill us.”

“And what if you’re wrong?” Matsukawa asked. “What if they have everyone herded into a refugee camp because they have something worse planned?”

“You think they’re going to try and use everyone there as an example? Slaughter them all as a warning?”

Kentarou felt his stomach turn. That kind of wholesale slaughter, especially of people who weren’t fighters, children, wasn’t something he would ever be able to stomach. He wanted to give his all against his opponents, and he wanted them to be able to give their all back. People who couldn’t fight for themselves weren’t worth fighting, and children deserved to be protected, even if he wasn’t the best at talking to them.

“I think that’s unlikely, especially after what the girls told us,” Kunimi continued. “They’ve had weeks to slaughter everyone if that’s what they were going to do in the first place. And they’ve been trying to hide what their intentions are. If not for that rumor, no one would have any idea what was going on. They haven’t made any announcements or anything.”

“I hope you’re sure,” Matsukawa said.

“I can’t be sure,” Kunimi sighed. “That’s why we’re going to have to go to the camp. We have to find out what’s really going on before I can make a plan of attack.”

“We?”

“I was thinking Yahaba and Watari, actually,” Kunimi said. “Yahaba is good at talking, and both he and Watari look decently unthreatening. Yahaba might be too pretty to avoid notice, but maybe if we rough up his face a little that’ll be less noticeable?”

Kentarou turned back to what he was doing, tuning out of their conversation. He wasn’t some thinker like Kunimi. He was just a fighter. But he wanted a place to belong, with a roof over his head and warm food, and this fight was giving him the chance to have that back.

He was willing to fight for that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: the ones who were left behind


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yahaba, Makki, and Maiya wait

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops I projected on a character again

Shigeru was going to lose his mind. It wasn’t going to be the nightmares, or losing his home, or even having to share space with a socially maladjusted alpha who had resting bitch face from hell.

No, Shigeru was going to lose his mind from _waiting_.

It should have been an easy job. Hell, he could have tried sleeping some more if he’d wanted, that’s how unnecessary he was. If anyone came after the camp, Makki and Maiya would protect them, and he would just be stuck minding the children like the good omega his father had raised him to be.

Shigeru grimaced at memories of lessons upon lessons, commands of “sit up straight” and “don’t stare at anyone for too long” and “don’t let your thoughts show on your face” and, most importantly, “make sure you only show your best self” following him everywhere.

His father had meant well. Probably. It was what he’d always said. “I just want you to find someone to take care of you. I won’t be around to protect you forever.”

The thing was, Shigeru didn’t _want_ to be taken care of, and he certainly didn’t want to be protected. He could take care of himself, if his father would ever let him learn how to. Sharp raps on his hands and losing food had convinced him to stop insisting that, though.

And now, because of a life spent sitting still and looking pretty, being taught to care about his clothes and appearance more than his own mind, the only intellectual stimulation available to him the art of conversation, because apparently that was useful in attracting a wealthy and powerful mate, Shigeru was completely useless. He couldn’t fight, no matter how hard he worked at the drills Mattsun gave him. He couldn’t plan out attacks like Kunimi, because he’d never been taught battle strategy. He’d been hobbled by his father’s grand plans of marrying him off to the highest bidder.

Shigeru had no doubt that his father had meant well. He even thought his father might have loved him. But his father had loved a version of Shigeru that only existed in his own head, and Shigeru had started thinking in his teens that maybe that wasn’t love at all.

His mother loved him, the real him, the boy she’d found hacking off all his long hair because his father had called him beautiful one too many times. She’d intervened on his behalf, and now he was allowed to cut his hair however he liked it, preferring it just at his shoulders, long enough to tie back, but short enough to not make him look too feminine. She was the one that had taught him history and told him jokes and let him sit however he pleased, with no care to how unattractive spreading his legs made him.

But his mother was far to the north, on the family estate nearly at the border of Seijoh’s lands. Lake Lilia was the only place where Shigeru had good childhood memories. He hoped his mother was still alive. Complicated feelings for his father aside, Shigeru was still a little messed up from seeing him die – even if he wouldn’t admit it – but losing his mother would destroy him.

He shook himself, trying not to think so much about his family. It was hard to remember growing up with his father without getting angry, and considering he would probably just worry Maiya and Makki and their children if he got up to punch something.

But it wasn’t making all this waiting any less terrible. He was stuck, Takeru in his lap because apparently he’d gotten tired of his mother’s, watching the two older ones fret over the people who had gone. Makki especially was fretting over his mate, worried about him fighting with the odds stacked against him, his son held close to comfort him as much to keep the baby quiet.

Shigeru looked down at the child in his lap. With the life his father had been planning for him he would’ve had lots of children to look forward to. It was the life of an omega raised for an arranged marriage.

Children weren’t so bad, he supposed. Takeru was a sweet enough child, babbling and talking at Shigeru when he wasn’t occupied with whatever game he was playing by clapping his hands together, and watching him was soothing in the way he took Shigeru’s mind off the waiting. Shigeru could even see wanting children someday. He could see being happy to sense the change in his own scent, ecstatically watching his belly grow, being happy with his mate…

But of course, there was never a face with the mate in his own fantasies. There never had been. Shigeru had long since accepted that any happiness he had in his future would be centered on himself, and maybe the children he would inevitably bear.

A mate wouldn’t make him happy. He was sure of that. The kind of mating his father had planned for him would never make him happy.

“I hate this,” Makki sighed. “I hate this waiting.”

Shigeru looked up at him. He didn’t really have an emotional bond with anyone in the group but Shinji, but he did have a lot of respect for Makki and Mattsun. The way Mattsun had turned their ragtag group into a real kind of team, the way Makki had made his choice that differed from his mate’s, but that hadn’t torn them apart. They were leaders in their own rights, and Shigeru had to respect that.

“Why didn’t you go with him?” Shigeru asked. “I know you know how to fight. Why didn’t you go with him instead of waiting? Wouldn’t that be easier?”

“Someone had to take care of Jun,” Makki said. “Part of being a parent is recognizing that your child comes first, no matter what else you might want. Besides, I’m not that good at fighting. Give me a dagger, and I can defend myself and maybe someone else, but I can’t really use a sword or anything else, not like the ones who went can. If anyone comes after us while it’s just us, Maiya is the one who’s going to have to defend us.”

Shigeru looked at Maiya. She’d softened somehow since Kunimi had given his big speech. He’d noticed Shinji saying something to her. Maybe that had helped.

“Obviously, I’m not going to part with Takeru right now,” she said.

“How do you know how to fight so well?” Shigeru asked, because maybe it would distract him, and maybe it would distract her too. “I know omegas and women can fight just like men in Seijoh, but I didn’t think it was common.”

“It’s more common than it is in other kingdoms,” Maiya told him. “Even Shiratorizawa doesn’t allow it as much as we do. The only thing that matters is whether or not you have the skill. We don’t care what you have in your pants.

“My mother is a warrior,” she went on. “She’s…it’s kind of like the castle guard? But they don’t stay within the castle walls. They’re posted outside, to be a buffer in case of a big attack. I’m actually pretty sure she died in the Karasuno attack. No one would’ve gotten past her if she was still alive.”

“I’m sorry,” Shigeru said. Maiya waved her hand, though her eyes looked glassier.

“She would’ve wanted to go down fighting for what she believed in,” Maiya said. “I can be happy knowing she went down swinging. And I think there’s a good chance that my father survived, if he could get out of the castle. I just want to know if my little brother is alive. He’s mated to the crown prince, and he wouldn’t have let them do anything to Tooru.”

She looked wistfully into the distance.

“Anyway, I know how to fight because my mother taught me,” she continued. “I had a toy sword in my hand almost as soon as I could walk. I know how to shoot an arrow, too. I think my mother must have seen the wanderlust in me even then, and she wanted to make sure I could take care of myself on the road.”

The concept of a parent wanting their child to fight for themselves was foreign to Shigeru, but he listened intently as Maiya kept talking.

“I’ve been wandering all over Seijoh and beyond since I was eighteen,” Maiya said. “I’ve learned so many things, and I’ve been able to bring back knowledge for the kingdom. They usually pay me if I can bring back scrolls and books they don’t have in the library, and if I can find treasure, all the better for me. Shinji started joining me a few years back, which you probably know.”

Shigeru nodded. He’d been friends with Shinji since they were children, and Shinji had taken off a few years ago to travel all over. He’d always come back to tell Shigeru stories, and those were some of the best memories Shigeru had. They gave him something to imagine when he fantasized about running away from his life.

“My mate mostly cared for Takeru between my adventures, if they didn’t both come with me,” Maiya said, her voice softer. “I’m…a bit out of practice at being a mother. Once he wasn’t a baby anymore, I didn’t really _need_ to be there to make sure he survived, and sometimes adventuring is a lot easier than parenting.”

She sighed, looking at Takeru, oblivious in Shigeru’s lap.

“I don’t know how I’m going to do this alone,” she said. “I was barely doing it before. I don’t think I’m fit to be a mother.”

“You want the best for your son, and you’re trying your best, and you’re not forcing him to be something he’s not,” Shigeru said. “I think you’re fit to be a mother, and I think the fact that you’re worried you’re not proves you are.”

“Yahaba’s right,” Makki broke in. “You stopped running off for far flung places when Takeru was born. Even though you left, you always came back sooner, and you were always running for your son as soon as you could. So what if you’re scared of not being a good parent? I’m scared I’m not doing enough to protect my son. I’m scared that we should have run north when we had a chance, because now we definitely wouldn’t be able to beat the winter, but maybe that worry means I’m doing something right.”

“Your children are going to be alright,” Shigeru said, because it felt like he should say something. “You both know how to protect them.”

They both seemed pleased at his words, but before they could respond, Shinji came running back into camp.

“We did it,” he said, fire in his eyes and his grin. “They have supplies there, so we decided it would be easier for the five of you to come to us instead of carrying it all to you. And we found something.”

“What?” Shigeru asked, standing and picking Takeru up. The toddler was awake, but clinging to his neck. He probably wouldn’t be able to walk so far in the forest at night. He and Jun had had the hardest time adjusting to being nocturnal.

“Some girls from Seijoh,” Shinji said. “The soldiers in the company we killed took them for…well, I’m sure you can imagine.”

Shigeru grimaced.

“Yeah, that’s the general consensus,” Shinji said. “Anyway, they said they were in a refugee camp of Seijoh citizens, and based on some rumors they heard, Kunimi thinks Karasuno is trying to build an empire, and he had an idea of how to fight them.”

“That’s good news,” Shigeru said. “What’s the plan?”

“The thing is, we can’t really throw in on a plan yet,” Shinji said, scratching his head. “We’re not sure the rumors are true, and we could be wrong, and if we play this wrong, we could get seriously reamed. So Kunimi wants to send the two of us to the refugee camp.”

“Me?” Shigeru asked. “I get you, but why me? I still can’t do any of this fighting stuff right.”

“We’re not going to fight,” Shinji said. “Hopefully. And it’ll just be us, so in theory I can protect you if we need it. Ideally, though, all we’ll be doing is talking. We have to see if the rumors are true. We need all the information we can get about the state of Seijoh.”

Shigeru nodded, gears turning in his head. They were walking into the light of a few huge bonfires, and Shigeru wrinkled his nose at the acrid burning smell coming from them. At Shinji’s look, he decided not to ask.

His eyes landed on three girls, the ones Shinji had said came from the refugee camp. Setting Takeru down with his mother, he approached the girls.

“I need to know what you know about the refugee camp,” he said. “Not the layout, or the kind of guard you’re under. I need to know what kind of people are there. I need to know who the leaders are, and who has influence. Who can I talk to who might know something? That kind of thing.”

The girls look at each other, and back to him.

And they started to talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: the refugee camp


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kunimi has an internal dialogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops time to project (and also catch up. Save me I've had the worst writers block).

Akira was grateful when he could leave the girls in the care of Matsukawa and Maiya. It was good that they’d been able to find out about the refugee camp from them, and good that they could use it to their advantage, but Akira had never been known for his compassion, and the longer he spent with those girls and their big, sad eyes, the more out of place he felt.

Day was starting to break as they finally got the last of their camp set up, more defensible than before. Matsukawa offered to take the first watch, as he always did. Akira would be last, which meant he got to go to sleep for now.

They’d decided it would be safer to pair off into the small tents, just in case things went south. Akira was paired with Yuutarou, which was really for the best. Neither of them were really good with new people, but Akira especially could be hard to get along with at first.

They settled down, somehow even more tired than they’d been despite the first full meal they’d had in a while, scavenged from the company’s rations. Maybe because of it. Whatever the reason, Akira could feel his droopy eyelids getting heavy. He knew he looked tired most of the time, but he could barely keep his eyes open anymore.

He stretched out on his bedroll, not even opening his eyes as he heard Yuutarou stretch out next to him. Close. Close enough for Akira to feel the heat radiating off his body. Yuutarou had always been naturally warm, and Akira had always been quick to take advantage of that in the colder months.

Akira was having a hard time telling where the line of “too close” was. It felt like it was always moving.

When they were children, sleeping like this, curled close to each other, was nothing. They’d done it as easily as breathing, just like they’d held hand wherever they walked, and leaned in close while looking over their lessons, and Akira had never thought to be afraid of that.

It was only different now that it maybe meant something different to Akira. Or maybe it meant the same thing, but more. He wasn’t sure.

What he did know was that Yuutarou was in love with him. He’d known for years, since he was sixteen years old and Yuutarou had spent the better part of six months unable to look him in the eyes without stuttering. It wasn’t news to him at this point, nor did he think Yuutarou had been particularly surprised when he’d realized his own feelings.

What Yuutarou didn’t know, and what Akira did, was that those feelings were returned. That was something Yuutarou could never find out, because if he did, it would just make everything harder.

If Yuutarou just thought he didn’t care in the same way, if he thought Akira would always think of him as a close friend and nothing more, it wouldn’t hurt him as badly when he knew it could never happen. They couldn’t get together, they couldn’t court, and they certainly couldn’t mate.

Akira wasn’t built for being with someone like that, especially not Yuutarou. He knew that courting, letting all those feelings he’d kept locked up in his chest for so long out, would change him irrevocably, and there would be no going back if Yuutarou left him.

And Yuutarou would leave eventually, Akira was sure. Sure, Yuutarou was in love with him now, but that puppy love couldn’t last forever. He’d eventually realize that being with another beta wasn’t worth the trouble, that _Akira_ wasn’t worth the trouble. They couldn’t start a family together, and Akira wouldn’t be able to give him everything he would eventually want.

He would leave, and Akira would break, shatter into thousands of pieces that he would never be able to put back together. It was better to just stay as friends, to have Yuutarou by his side, even if not always in the way he wanted. Friendship would be enough, would have to be enough, because Yuutarou had already changed him too much for him to survive losing that friendship.

Akira thought that everything had been a lot easier when the biggest problems they had were falling into the creek and getting covered in mud. Back then, a kiss on the cheek had meant nothing more than Yuutarou loving him as all children loved their best friends.

There was a small, hidden part of him that refused to stop hoping, though. That kept telling him that Yuutarou would be able to accept him as he was, and would be happy to take him. He did his best to kill that part, but it refused to let its light go out.

And sometimes…sometimes he started to believe it. That if he told Yuutarou everything, told him what a relationship between them would mean, that everything would be alright.

And then he remembered the way Yuutarou had looked at him sometimes, when he thought he wasn’t looking. The way his eyes would travel Akira’s body with a kind of hunger that Akira recognized, even if he didn’t share it. Even if he never would.

He wouldn’t be able to offer Yuutarou that. Even if Yuutarou didn’t want children, didn’t want a family, surely that had to be a deal breaker for him. It was one thing to have two male betas in a relationship – that was normal. What was less normal was two adults in a relationship that would never involve sex.

Akira knew that theoretically they could still mate without sex. All that was really required was consent on both sides and a bite to the mating glands, just where the neck met the shoulder. But would Yuutarou want a mating like that? And more importantly, was Akira willing to let him give up something like that? Akira might not want anything to do with sex, but he’d seen the hunger in Yuutarou’s eyes, and he knew he did.

His thoughts chased themselves around in circles in his mind, keeping him awake and leading him nowhere. He was still closer to awake than asleep when Yuutarou got up to leave the tent for his watch, the one before Akira’s. He was awake to feel Yuutarou smooth his hair out of his face, tucking it behind his ear. He had to school himself into stillness, trying not to shiver.

The line of “too close” was always moving.

He was still mostly awake, and starting to feel a little sick to his stomach from lack of sleep when Yuutarou finally came back to wake him up. It was midafternoon, not quite nearing twilight yet. There was still plenty of light for him to see by, so he couldn’t miss Yuutarou following him to where he would sit to look out for incoming threats.

“You should go get some sleep,” he said, voice cracking from disuse so early in the…well, it wasn’t morning, but he’d adjusted to being nocturnal, so it felt the same way early mornings had felt as a younger teenager. “Every bit counts, and it’s only a few hours until everyone else is up.”

“I wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep anyway,” Yuutarou said quietly. “It’s only a few hours, after all. I’d rather sit with you.”

Akira made some affirmative noise in the back of his throat. He’d be grateful for the company, anyway.

Yuutarou was good company. Friendlier than Akira and more prone to chatting, he still knew how to be quiet. He wasn’t a stressful person to be around. If anything, it was relaxing to sit in silence next to him and just observe the world, listen for incoming threats that might reach his ears before they reached his eyes.

“Akira?” he asked quietly, breaking the silence, but not irrevocably. Akira hummed. “What is your plan? I know you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t have one. I think I deserve to know what it is.”

The unspoken “I’m here because I trust your judgement” was almost too heavy for the atmosphere. Akira took a deep breath.

“Unless Karasuno is significantly more organized than I’ve been giving them credit for, and I don’t think I’m wrong, based off what the girls told us, they can’t have gotten to all the nobles that stay on their estates,” Akira said softly, enough that he could still listen while he talked. “Especially smaller nobles that don’t have any influence in the castle. They’d still have money, and they’re probably not any happier about the castle falling than we are. I think, if we can find one, and if we say just the right thing, we can get them to give us supplies, weapons, maybe even information.”

“You think we can win this war with some forgotten nobles.” It wasn’t a question. Yuutarou was turning the thought over in his head. “Is that why you’re trying to keep Yahaba with us?”

Akira nodded. While he hadn’t been able to do much, a few words to Matsukawa about what might help Yahaba feel less like running off had kept a careful balance between Yahaba, Kyoutani, and the rest of them.

“He knows how to talk, and he’s good at it,” Akira said. “Just enough of those dumb princess airs to keep whoever he’s talking to calm, but I think he might be even sharper than I’ve given him credit for. He gets this look in his eyes sometimes. He’s smart, and he’s good at talking to people that aren’t Kyoutani. Add in the fact that he looks like some sweet little omega who just needs someone to take care of him, and he’ll have noblemen eating out of the palm of his hand.

“Watari is another one we really need if we’re going to do this,” he went on. “He’s not good at talking like Yahaba is, but he notices everything. He would’ve made a good spy if he hadn’t followed Maiya on those adventures of hers.”

“You’re really thought this through.” Yuutarou sounded impressed.

“Not all of it,” Akira admitted. “I’ve always been banking on finding a noble to support us. It’s only recently with seeing Yahaba more that I thought he would be perfect for the job. Add that to the things the girls told us, and suddenly, Karasuno seems a lot more precarious than they used to.”

“You really believe we can win,” Yuutarou breathed. “I…obviously you would have left by now if you didn’t think we could win. I know you, by now. But still…the way you say it, it really seems like we’re going to win.”

“Nothing is certain,” Akira said. “I know how badly this will go for all of us if this goes wrong. I know the trust you’re putting in me, and I’m grateful for it. But this isn’t a sure thing, and that you’re staying with me, even with the consequences of failure…thank you.”

“I’ve always known better than to bet against you,” Yuutarou grinned. “Kageyama was good at war strategy, but you knew how to run a court so well that the war would be over before it began.”

Suddenly, Akira was aware of how close they’d gotten. They’d started leaning in, just like they always would during their lessons as children. Akira could feel Yuutarou’s breath ghosting across his face, watched as the smile slid away from his mouth. Yuutarou reached out slowly, tucking a strand of hair that Akira hadn’t bothered to tie back behind his ear.

This time, Akira couldn’t hide his shiver.

Yuutarou was leaning forward, even closer, and…

“Do you two want breakfast?”

Akira jumped away, looking up to see Matsukawa looking at them.

“We found hardtack,” he said, glancing between them, the almost nonexistent distance between them. “It’s not delicious, but it’s filling, and it’ll keep us through the evening.”

“I’ll take some,” Akira said, standing up and brushing off his back. He heard Yuutarou standing behind him, and tried to ignore how close he’d been to kissing him. And how badly he’d wanted to. And the part of him that was screaming that _there was still time, turn around, kiss him, tell him what’s going on, tell him you lo…_

Not even in his head would he allow that word. It would only hurt him, and hurt Yuutarou. He squashed it down ruthlessly.

The line of “too close” kept moving, and Akira was no longer sure of where he wanted to keep it drawn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: they really go to the refugee camp this time


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The refugee camp

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a bitch and half to write. Writers block, I swear.

Shigeru resisted the urge to grimace at cowering into Shinji. He didn’t cower. But he had to, to keep up the act.

He would already stand out enough. Even for Seijoh, he was taller than average for a male omega, and he knew he was pretty. Hopefully, the hood that was covering his hair and the dirt they’d smudged on his face would keep people from noticing him too much.

But just to play up the idea that he was a frail omega not worth notice, he was acting up his fear, leaning into Shinji and playing at cowering. Even if it went against all his instincts.

“You’re doing great,” Shinji said under his breath. “No one is looking at us. Just keep going.”

Shigeru nodded, walking into the refugee camp. There were a lot more Karasuno guards than had been in the company they killed, but that was probably because of the sheer number of Seijoh citizens they had to guard.

Shigeru had heard it from the girls, but there was really no believing it until he saw it. There had to be over a thousand people from Seijoh crammed into this tiny farming village that had maybe been built to house a few hundred. Tents lined the fringe, and people were _everywhere_.

“This is the hard part,” Shinji murmured. Shigeru looked up to see that they were approaching the bridge into the village – the only way in or out of a village completely surrounded by a branching river. A few soldiers were checking everyone as they came into the refugee camp, looking bored.

Good. Shigeru wanted them just bored enough to not pay attention enough to wave him and Shinji through. They’d managed to sneak in with a group of Seijoh citizens, avoiding notice from the guards. No one in the group had ratted them out, but they had gotten a few strange looks. Who would want to come _in_ to a place most people wanted _out_ of?

They’d been watching the refugee camp for almost a week, trying to figure out the safest way to get Shigeru and Shinji in and out. Coming in with a group was their best bet, but that came with the stipulation that they could slip in without anyone noticing. And, of course, the only way out was waiting for nightfall and swimming across the river.

The guard barely looked at them, waving the entire group in. Shigeru breathed a sigh of relief. The hardest part was behind them. The risk would be low until they were ready to leave.

“We have to head for the main square,” he said softly to Shinji. “That’s where the guy we need to talk to should be.”

Shinji nodded, following closely at his side. Now that they were in the village and there were fewer guards – just enough to keep the peace – he didn’t have to act like such a timid omega anymore. He kept his hood up, but straightened his shoulders and stopped trying to make himself smaller.

“Think it’s that old guy?” Shinji asked, pointing to an older man who was surrounded by some of the people that had come in with them. Shigeru nodded. Anyone with an air of authority about them like that was in charge of something. He matched the basic description the girls had given of the unofficial head of the Seijoh refugees.

“Are you Mizoguchi Sadayuki?” Shigeru asked quietly. The man turned to him, glancing over him and Shinji.

“Who’s asking?” he replied, cautious. Shigeru took a deep breath. Time to be careful.

“We talked to Aimi-chan,” he said. “She sent us here. We have something to talk to you about.”

“And?”

“Not here,” Shinji broke in, looking around. While no one was paying them any special attention at the moment, the more people who overheard them, the bigger the risk. Anyone could report them, and Shigeru had no clue who to trust. “Is there somewhere we can meet you later? Somewhere with only people you trust?”

Mizoguchi nodded, looking at them both critically.

“Who are you two?” he asked. “I don’t recognize you, so you’re new here, but you don’t have the same look as everyone who just came in.”

He was sharp, but then, he probably had to be to function as a leader in this place.

“I promise we’ll explain everything later,” Shigeru said. “Just not here.”

“Is Aimi-chan safe?”

“What?”

“Aimi-chan,” Mizoguchi said. “Is she safe? Her and the other two girls that were with her? We haven’t heard anything about them.”

“All three are safe,” Shigeru assured him. “They’re with our people. They’ll be coming back here soon. We can’t protect them where we’re going.”

Mizoguchi nodded. He told them about a house on the outskirts of the village, where he and some people he trusted were staying. Shigeru and Shinji faded back into the crowd, to wander until night began to fall. Shigeru was feeling tired from being awake all day, and having to stay awake well into the night, but it was probably only helping him keep up the appearance he needed to.

When the sky started to turn orange, he and Shinji made their way over to the place Mizoguchi had sent them, the house with red shutters. They knocked on the door, twice, and then three times, and once, in the agreed upon signal.

Mizoguchi answered the door, waving them both in and glancing up and down the street. No one seemed to be paying attention to them. He shut and bolted the door behind them and led them into the kitchen, where a few older men and women were sitting and waiting for them.

“Tell us who you are and what you’re doing here,” Mizoguchi said. Shigeru started talking, telling him of how their team had gotten out of the castle and met up in the forest, how they had decided to fight back against Karasuno rather than making a run for Shiratorizawa, how they had been training to fight, how they had taken down a company of Karasuno soldiers only to find Aimi and her friends, how they had made a plan to take down the empire-building Karasuno and how that started with coming here.

By the time he was done talking, it was full night, and his throat was dry and scratchy. Someone handed him a cup of water.

“You’re trying to start a rebellion,” Mizoguchi said softly, breaking the silence.

“It could work,” Shigeru said, wiping his mouth. “They don’t just want to conquer us. They want to integrate us. It’ll be a lot easier to convince them that we’re not worth fighting if that’s their goal.”

“And if they change their minds?” a woman asked. “If they decide we’re too much trouble to integrate, but not too much trouble to conquer?”

“They won’t change their minds all at once,” Shigeru insisted. “Not if they have these orders issued to every single soldier to leave Seijoh citizens be, just keep them contained. Not everyone is listening, of course, but the royal family has made their stance pretty clear. By the time they change their minds, we could already have too strong a foothold for them to destroy us.”

“What you’re asking…it puts all of us at risk,” Mizoguchi said. “There are children here. People who have never fought in their lives. You’re putting them all at risk.”

“I know, and I’m sorry it has to be this way,” Shigeru said. He made sure to put his best contrite face on. “I’m not asking you to go out swords blazing against the soldiers. I doubt that would work if you tried. But spread the word, to people who can be trusted. Tell them that there are people out here willing to fight back. Information is the most valuable weapon in this fight. If you have it, we can win.”

“Any information you have now, we’d love to have,” Shinji continued. “We know almost nothing about what’s going on, except for what the girls could tell us. What do you know about the situation in Karasuno, especially with the princes? We heard a rumor that they’re still alive.”

“That much I’m sure of,” Mizoguchi said. “They’re both being held in the castle of Karasuno, and so is Oikawa-sama’s mate. We’ve heard a couple different reasons why…”

“They want to marry Kageyama-sama off to their crown prince,” the same woman from before spoke up. Everyone in the room looked at her. “I heard the commander here talking about it. He said something along the lines of ‘they just have to get that Seijoh prince to spread his legs for Hinata-sama’ to his advisor. The princes are alive in Karasuno, I’m sure of it, and it’s because they want a marriage.”

“Kageyama-sama will never agree to it,” Shigeru said, wincing at the phrasing. The second prince of Seijoh was even younger than him, and from what he’d seen, entirely sheltered from the world of court politics, instead focusing on being a military leader. He was probably being thrown into politics now with no warning. It was a good thing Oikawa was there with him. If anyone knew how to work a court, it was Oikawa, who had gotten them all to acknowledge him even when his claim to the throne was challenged and he made it worse by mating with his knight instead of making a political marriage.

“We have someone who worked with him with us,” Shinji told them. “He says Kageyama-sama would never agree to that, too.”

“Our princes are working hard to fight back for us, it sounds like,” Mizoguchi spoke up. There was a smile that looked like it was growing across his face despite himself. “I guess it would be pretty bad if we couldn’t fight back just as hard for them.”

He looked at Shigeru and Shinji.

“We’ll do what we can,” he promised. “We can gather information. Sometimes they move some of us to a bigger village farther south since it’s too crowded here. We can send information along those lines. We’ll get people on your side. And if we can figure out a way to do it…we’ll fight back.”

“That’s all we can ask of you,” Shigeru said. “We’ll be sending the girls here tomorrow. We can’t go around fighting while also protecting them. It’ll be safer for them here.”

“We’ll take care of them,” the woman promised. “We won’t let them take anyone away again.”

“We should get going,” Shinji said. “It’s already the middle of the night.”

“You could stay for the night,” Mizoguchi offered. “I’m sure you’re tired from a long day, and it can’t hurt to rest.”

“It’s safer for us to leave at night,” Shigeru said. “It’ll be easy to hide in the shadows, and it’ll be harder to see us swim across the river.”

They said their goodbyes, grateful they had actually gotten someone to listen to them. It seemed like everyone else wanted to fight back as badly as they did. No one was happy about being conquered, and the glimmer of hope was too beautiful to pass up.

Shigeru and Shinji looked carefully around them as they made for the river. Almost no one was outside, and soldiers were walking around, giving people watchful eyes. Shigeru and Shinji tried to blend into shadows, tried not to draw attention to themselves. No one stopped them – it almost seemed like no one noticed them.

Ducking between two houses, they followed an alley that took them all the way to the banks of the river. If they could just make it across, they would be safe.

Shigeru had some memories of childhood, swimming in Lake Lilia. It had been a very long time since he’d been in water, but it seemed his body still remembered, pulling him through the water with smooth strokes to keep them quiet. Shinji swam calmly beside him.

They hauled themselves out, not quite believing their luck in getting out completely unharmed. No one had even questioned them. Shivering a little in the night chill with their soaked clothes, they made a run to where Kunimi and Mattsun would be waiting for them.

It wasn’t long before they made it back to the meeting spot. Kunimi and Mattsun were asking questions immediately.

“You were right,” Shigeru told Kunimi. “They really are trying to integrate us into an empire. They’re really trying to get Kageyama-sama to marry the crown prince. We talked to someone who heard it directly from the commander of all the troops in the camp.”

“Then we can make this plan work,” Kunimi said, eyes gleaming. “Thank you both. Now we can really start fighting back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Yahaba has had enough of being treated like a weakling


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yahaba learns how to use a sword

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will I ever be over Yahaba throwing Kyoutani into a wall? Sources say no.

For at least a little while, Shigeru could feel proud of what he’d accomplished. He’d gotten them information, and helped them to move forward with their plans, and he felt a lot less useless.

Until he went right back to feeling useless. He couldn’t fight like the rest of them. He couldn’t even do training with the rest of them. He could only do the most basic drills that Mattsun gave him.

And he was sick of it. He was sick of feeling useless, and he was sick of everyone looking at him with something like pity in their eyes. _Poor sheltered omega. He’ll never be who he’s trying to be._

He was working through the drills Mattsun gave him relentlessly, every time he had a chance, allowing himself small smiles when he got them completely right and begging for more. Mattsun assured him that he was learning fast, but Shigeru couldn’t see it. He’d never even tried himself against any of the others, but he knew any of them could beat him in seconds, even Makki.

Besides, getting up to work on footwork and swinging helped distract him from how tired he felt every time a nightmare woke him up. It was better for him this way. And better for Maiya and Takeru, who he shared a tent with. It was less cramped now that they’d sent the three girls back to the refugee village, but Shigeru was sure Maiya still didn’t appreciate him coming awake with a jerk and a muffled scream. Leaving the tent as soon as possible was the best option.

And even if he didn’t think he was improving fast enough, he couldn’t stop the jolt of pride every time he got something right, hurrying to start it again to beat the feeling of doing it right into his muscles. He had to take advantage of any little bit he could get better, or he would still be useless.

Maybe that pride was what finally got him to snap.

Kyoutani wasn’t doing anything out of the ordinary, really. He was up and about the camp earlier than he usually was, but that wasn’t completely out of character. Still, Shigeru had come to like his time alone before everyone else woke up, where no one was around to watch him fumble or fall.

But even though he didn’t do anything worse than watch, it was setting Shigeru on edge. Having someone focus on him so entirely like that was unnerving him, and he kept messing up simple things, things he knew he could get right if Kyoutani would just _go away_.

“You’re not balancing yourself,” Kyoutani finally broke the silence. Shigeru grit his teeth together. “You’re swinging from your arms. You have to swing from your core. You’d know that if you weren’t some spoiled castle omega.”

Shigeru slammed Kyoutani into a tree. The alpha stared him down, mouth working but no words coming out. Shigeru seethed, his face inches from Kyoutani’s, ready to attack at the smallest sign of movement.

"I'm not just some spoiled princess," Shigeru snarled. "I'm not just some weak omega you can push around. I'm a member of this team, and I've had enough of you not fucking treating me like it. We’re supposed to work together, or none of this will work. Enough with your lone wolf bullshit, and enough with treating me like I’m useless."

He stepped back, picking up the sword he'd dropped in his haste to get to Kyoutani's throat.

"Now show me how to use a damn sword."

Kyoutani just looked at him with wide eyes, not moving from where he’d been slammed into the tree. Shigeru snarled again, making him jolt into motion. He reached for the sword on his hip, levelling it at Shigeru.

“I’m going to show you how to block,” he said. “Don’t fuck up and cut off my head.”

“Don’t give me a reason to,” Shigeru snapped, but he lowered himself into the ready position that he’d been perfecting for weeks. This much, at least, he could do.

Kyoutani stepped forward.

“Try swinging for my head,” he said. “ _Slowly_.”

Shigeru did as he was told, raising his sword and lowering it carefully towards Kyoutani’s head. Kyoutani twisted his arms, raising his sword horizontally so Shigeru’s couldn’t move anymore.

“This is a block,” he said. “Don’t actually attack overhead like that, though. You leave yourself open and you don’t have the natural strength to be able to swing through fast enough.”

“What should I do instead?” Shigeru asked, letting Kyoutani’s sword go.

“Swing from your sides,” Kyoutani instructed. “Or just thrust forward. You’re tall. What you lack in strength, you’ll have to make up by being smart. As much as you can, attack from a distance.”

“That’s nothing like what you do.”

“Because I have the natural strength to rely on.”

“How do you even know about this, then?”

“I’ve learned different things,” Kyoutani replied hotly. “Just because I prefer to rely on one style doesn’t mean I’m an idiot.”

“If you applied some of those other things you know, you would fit in with everyone else better,” Shigeru told him. “Just going in with brute strength works for a lone wolf. You’re with a team now.”

“You’re one to talk.”

“At least I acknowledge my shortcomings!” Shigeru snapped. “You’re convinced things will work out if you keep doing what you’re doing, and they won’t. I know what I lack. Now show me how to attack like you said.”

Kyoutani did, showing him how to thrust from a guarded position by his hip. The sword went out, extended as far as it could through his arms, but the power came from his legs and core. They practiced that over and over, and Shigeru could feel himself settling into a style that was heavily defensive.

“Now try to block me,” Kyoutani said, explaining how he should do it. Shigeru could see the parallels to the footwork Mattsun had been putting him through. He knew how to do this, even if he faltered when a sword actually hit his. “Again.”

So Shigeru did it again, and again, and again, blocking the hits Kyoutani aimed at him. Once he got one kind down, Kyoutani would switch where he aimed his swing, so Shigeru had to change how he blocked. Eventually, when he’d learned to protect his head and both his sides, Kyoutani started attacking randomly, but slowly, allowing Shigeru to get a feel for protecting all of himself without actually trying to hurt him.

“So you two can be within five feet of each other without trying to murder each other,” a voice interrupted them. Shigeru turned to see Shinji watching them, and all of a sudden, the haze he’d been moving through lifted, and he could feel his arms shaking from stopping a sword from hitting him again and again. Kyoutani might have moved slowly enough for him to learn how to block, but he’d been far from gentle. Then again, Shigeru might have actually tried to kill him for going easy.

“You’re not…actually that bad,” Shigeru said haltingly, refusing to look at Kyoutani. He still had his pride, after all.

“You’re not quite the spoiled princess I thought you were,” Kyoutani said in reply. “Still a sheltered omega, though.”

“Someday I’ll be good enough to make you eat those words.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Shigeru almost wanted to laugh instead of snapping at him for that comment. Somehow, it was hard to believe that Kyoutani meant him harm after seeing the look of shock on his face when he was pinned to a tree. Shigeru figured that if he could throw the alpha like that, he didn’t have much to worry about.

And Kyoutani was a much better teacher than Shigeru ever would have expected. Even if his words were sharp and his face was a permanent scowl, he was patient. He let Shigeru practice one motion over and over until it was perfect, and no matter how many times he called Shigeru names, he never complained.

He’d started getting up at the same time as Shigeru, in the middle of the afternoon, before everyone else woke up, so they could practice for a while without anyone watching and throwing Shigeru off his game. Shinji joked that he and Shigeru should switch tents, so the two early risers could stop inflicting themselves on good hardworking warriors who just wants a good night’s rest. Shigeru told him that he could do that over his dead body.

Shinji was sharing with Kyoutani, and seemed to be getting along with him better than anyone else. Just because they could get along when they were training didn’t mean they were automatically best friends. Still, when Shinji insisted on the three of them eating together and spending their limited free time together, it was hard not to get used to each other. Kyoutani had a strong personality, and Shigeru could recognize that so did he, so it wasn’t really a surprise they’d butted heads at first, but it seemed like they could actually kind of share space without it being a huge deal.

Mattsun sidled up to him before they went back their tents for the night a few weeks into the training he was doing with Kyoutani.

“I think I have you to thank for how much better Kyoutani is fitting in with the rest,” he said. “Even Kunimi is starting to get along with him, and he’s working better through drills. I don’t know what you said to him, but thank you.”

“I’m not sure anything I said helped,” Shigeru said honestly. “But sometimes with someone that stubborn you just have to throw them into a tree to get them to listen.”

Mattsun looked at him seriously, trying to gauge how serious he was.

“Did you really?”

Shigeru nodded. Mattsun snorted, actually starting to laugh, really laugh.

“I’m sorry,” he gasped between snorts. “I don’t mean to laugh at you. It’s just that I never would have figured the scared omega we picked up months ago would be throwing scary looking alphas into trees.”

Shigeru shrugged. He wasn’t going to apologize. Kyoutani had deserved it.

“You know, I should have figured you needed someone to compete with to get better,” Mattsun went on. “You’re just as stubborn as him, but you’re getting so much better. I might actually see if you can join in drills with the rest of us. Keep training with Kyoutani. Whatever he’s doing, it’s working. The two of you complement each other in style. I think you would make good partners.”

“I don’t know if we can ever be partners,” Shigeru said. They were very different people, after all. “But I’ll keep training with him. I don’t want to be useless anymore.”

“You’ve never been useless,” Mattsun told him. “And I think you underestimate how well you two work together. You’re more similar than you realize, even if you’ve led really different lives up until now. Keep working together, and see where that gets you. It might surprise you.”

It was easy enough to agree to. Shigeru wanted to keep working with Kyoutani, wanted to keep getting better so he wouldn’t feel so useless. Kyoutani was able to go faster now, not hold himself back, and Shigeru felt his pride being soothed at being able to keep up. He wasn’t as good as Kyoutani yet, but he could probably beat Makki in a fight now.

Mattsun, true to his word, added Shigeru into drills with the rest, teaching them how to move and attack as a team. Shigeru’s heavily defensive style actually proved to fit in exceptionally well, rounding out the group. With Shigeru moving like that, Kyoutani was a little more free to move as he liked. He still couldn’t be the wild thing he’d been when they’d first met him, but he had a style that worked for him, and worked for the team with a little modification.

They weren’t an army. They weren’t going to be an army. But now that Shigeru didn’t feel like dead weight anymore, he was starting to think that they could win anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Kunimi finally gets what he's been hoping for


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team gets a coach

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh hell yeah the story is finally moving and the chapters are getting easier to write. I'm so glad I'm starting to feel it again

“So remind me again why we’re wandering around in the middle of nowhere.”

Akira was going to kill Yahaba for no other reason than to stop his incessant bitching.

“Because,” he snapped through gritted teeth, “we heard from someone who used to live in this area that there’s a noble estate here, and since I can’t think of a single noble house in this area, they should be unknown enough that Karasuno might have ignored them.”

“Not to side with Yahaba, but he has a point.”

“Fuck off, Kyouken-chan.”

“Stop _calling_ me that!”

“Children,” Matsukawa sighed. “Kunimi knows what he’s doing. If you were just going to complain about a little walking, you should have stayed at the camp.”

Yahaba and Kyoutani finally shut up. Akira breathed a sigh of relief. They were walking together, which was…a little weird, if he was honest, but not entirely unexpected. He’d expected life to get easier if they could learn to get along. Now they were just doubly annoying together.

“Are you sure we’re going the right way, though?” Maiya asked. She’d needed a break from just taking care of her son, and Watari had offered to watch Takeru for long enough for Maiya to go punch something. “We’ve been walking for hours. Shouldn’t we have at least seen something by now?”

“I’m working off the information I have, which was go northwest until we got there,” Akira sighed. “It’s not close to morning yet. I know it’s hard to see things in the dark, but we haven’t gone off course, which you should know, since you’re the one watching the stars.”

“We’re still going the same way we were when we started,” Maiya said. “For whatever good it does us.”

“Guys,” Yahaba spoke up.

“Yahaba, I swear, if you’re about to start bitching again, I will slit your throat and hang your body as a warning to the others,” Akira threatened.

“Harsh,” Yahaba replied, sounding annoyingly unconcerned. “And I just wanted to say that the hall we’re looking for is right there.”

Akira snapped his head around to see a two story stone building just on the edge of where he’d been looking. It wasn’t much to look at, almost worthy of being passed over, but the stone was clean and cared for, and the lawn that went down to where the forest resumed was pristine. It was the house of a noble, unknown or not.

He muttered a few praises to whatever god happened to be listening at the moment and took off for the front door. It was tall, old, but sturdy looking, with heavy iron bolts. This seemed like less of a house and more of a fortress.

Akira lifted the heavy metal knocker and let it fall, booming against the door. It was too thick for him to hear if there were footsteps of people moving behind it, but he could hear the scrape as the bolt was pulled back.

An older woman peered out at them, face harshly lined in the light from her candle.

“Are we expecting a call from you?” she asked, sounding like the model servant.

“Uh…” Akira looked around at a group he could only describe as ragtag. “We haven’t had time to send word that we were coming?”

She looked put upon, as if he somehow should have really found the time to send word to a place he wasn’t even sure existed.

“I’ll tell the master that unexpected guests have arrived,” she sighed heavily, beckoning them inside and shutting the door behind them. “Follow me.”

She led them to a sitting room, with a roaring fire in the grate.

“Please, have a seat,” she said, gesturing to the many chairs close to the fire. “If the master has time to see you, he’ll be down shortly.”

They all sat, Kyoutani and Yahaba going for the same chair closest to the fire and Yahaba landing in Kyoutani’s lap with a squawk, leaping to his feet as if burned. He sat in a different chair, shooting Kyoutani a glare.

“Yahaba, _please_ , behave,” Matsukawa sighed. “You’re the one who’s best at talking to nobles. We need you now. Kyoutani…”

“No talking, try not to look menacing,” Kyoutani replied. “I know the drill.”

“What do you think?” Akira jumped at the voice suddenly right next to his ear. Yuutarou had leaned in to talk to him. “What’s the plan?”

“The plan is to let Yahaba do the talking,” Akira said. “He actually does know what he’s doing for this. I’ll jump in if I see an opportunity. The rest of you, try and stay quiet and let Yahaba and me handle this. We’ll have to see what this guy is like. Probably old and eccentric, if that lady is his butler.”

He didn’t have another chance to speak before the door to the sitting room swung open.

The man who stepped in was older than him, but hardly an old man. He was solidly in middle age, maybe fifteen or twenty years older than Matsukawa. Grey shot through his hair, but he still held himself straight and tall and proud. He had the look of someone who should have been a soldier, or maybe a general.

“My name is Irihata Nobuteru,” he said in the silence that followed his entrance. “I am the lord of this estate. Who, may I ask, are all of you?”

“My name is Yahaba Shigeru,” Yahaba said, standing up. “These are my companions, Kunimi Akira, Kindaichi Yuutarou, Matsukawa Issei, Iwaizumi Maiya, and Kyoutani Kentarou.”

“Ah, a Yahaba,” Irihata said, looking pleased. “A white lily of the north. And how is your family?”

“I don’t…” Yahaba actually looked taken aback. “I don’t know? My father died in the attack on the castle, and I haven’t heard from my mother or the estate.”

“Hm. A tragedy, that. My deepest sympathies.” Irihata looked no more bothered than if Yahaba had told him they’d gone off for a long trip.

“Irihata-san?” Yahaba started again. “There’s a war going on. The castle has fallen. The princes are captives. Karasuno is occupying Seijoh.”

“I’ve never heard of the name Irihata,” Akira muttered under his breath. He couldn’t believe this had been such a waste of time. This was just some old man, playing at an illusion of power. They should cut their losses and leave as soon as possible.

Irihata’s eyes snapped to him, clearer and sharper than they had any right to be. Akira felt pinned in place.

“I have,” Yahaba broke in quickly, covering his misstep. “The family Irihata. About a hundred years ago, this land had the main mine for iron ore, and your family perfected a way to treat it and turn it into steel. As the weapons center for Seijoh, this was where new soldiers were trained. Your ancestors were great generals. It was only when a bigger mine in the south was discovered and this one started to run dry that your family fell from power. You provided a great service to this kingdom for many years.”

“So you do know me,” Irihata said. He looked pleased. “Then let me tell you what I know about all of you.”

He stood in front of the fire to face them all. The backlight made him look older, but more powerful for it.

“You’re of noble blood,” he said, nodding at Yahaba. “Trained to be nothing more than a court pet, with the way you talk and flatter.”

Yahaba flushed with anger.

“You two,” he went on, nodding to Akira and Yuutarou. “Your families are nothing to scoff at, but hardly the most powerful, either. They really should have taught you how to speak to other nobles better. You could stand to learn some manners.

“You two,” he said, looking at Matsukawa and Maiya, “aren’t from the noblest stock, but your families had enough influence that you could climb your ways up, and you’re both proud of it.

“And you,” he finally rounded on Kyoutani, “are just the stray dog of the group, aren’t you?”

“Hey…!” Kyoutani snapped.

“So when such a group of misfits arrives on my doorstep unannounced, what am I to think?” Irihata asked, clearly enjoying himself. “You’ve all lost something because of Karasuno. Looking for somewhere safe to hide out and lick your wounds? That’s quite a bit of charity to ask of someone only one of you could recognize by name.”

“That’s not what we’re here for,” Yahaba insisted. “Irihata-san, your family once did Seijoh a great favor. We’re here to ask you to do it again.”

“You said it yourself,” Irihata said. “The mines have dried up. The soldiers have all moved south. Everything went south. They forgot the power of the north, even if we aren’t the great kingdom of Shiratorizawa. We have our pride too, us forgotten northern nobles. Only a few houses still have a place in court, but we remember, even if there’s nothing more we can do.”

“But there is,” Yahaba said. “Seijoh isn’t finished yet. We can still take it back, and now that I know your house is still free, we couldn’t have asked for someone better to find.”

“What are you asking me for?” Irihata asked.

“We want to fight back,” Yahaba said. “We’re already fighting back against them. If we had weapons, more people, a safe place to make a home base and to attack from, we could really win.”

“We’ve already lost the capital,” Irihata scoffed. “What do you expect to accomplish?”

“That doesn’t matter,” Yahaba said. “They want to integrate all of Seijoh into Karasuno, not just conquer us. They gave us a big opening to convince them that they’ve bitten off more than they can chew. We just need a break.”

Irihata considered him for a long moment. His face was cast in shadow, but Akira could see the glint when his lips parted in a grin. He looked at them, a tall alpha, with the proud stature that came from a line of generals before him.

“The last soldier left this place when I was a young boy,” he said. “I remember the look on my father’s face when he knew that we were finished. He taught me our ways. If you can bring me men and women to train, I can give you soldiers.”

“And weapons?” Yahaba asked, sounding carefully hopeful.

“Look through the door behind your rude friend.”

Akira turned to see a door behind him. He stood from his chair, walking over to push the door open.

The room beyond was filled to the brim with glinting swords, shields, spears…every kind of weapon he could have ever hoped for, and so _many_.

He turned back to Irihata.

“We may have lost our power, but we’ve been saving one or two of the best weapons of every batch for ourselves since the beginning,” Irihata explained. “Just in case we ever needed to defend ourselves. I guess that time has come.”

“We can’t thank you enough,” Yahaba said. “I just have one more favor to ask of you.”

Irihata gestured for him to continue.

“We have a few more members of our group, and they have children,” Yahaba explained. “Would it be possible for them to stay here until this is decided? It’s really not safe for us to be carrying young children around with us.”

“I certainly have the room,” Irihata replied. “They are welcome to stay with their children for as long as they need to.”

“We cannot thank you enough,” Yahaba said. “We’ll go fetch them, and then…we can talk about how you can help us win this war, and bring honor and glory back to your house.”

“You are quite the flatterer,” Irihata said, but he sounded amused.

“If we win this fight, no one in Seijoh will ever forget your name,” Yahaba promised.

“I’ll send word to all the houses in the north,” Irihata said. “At least some of them have to still be free. Everyone has forgotten us, but we’re still strong. They will help if they can, I’ll make sure of it.”

“Thank you,” Yahaba said sincerely. Everyone stood, moving for the door to go get Hanamaki and Watari.

Akira breathed a sigh of relief. That…had actually gone well. Yahaba fixed him with a glare.

“A word of advice,” he said. “If you’re asking someone for a favor, don’t start by insulting them. Start by flattering them. We almost lost him because you insulted his family.”

“I…” Akira really had no response to that. “You really saved us in there. Good work.”

“I’m just impressed you remembered his family history,” Yuutarou broke in. “What kind of lessons did your family even have you in?”

Yahaba turned to them, an odd kind of grin on his face. He trailed his hands down his sides, slowly, sensuously…

_Seductively_

“Do you really want to know?” he asked, his voice soft. Akira heard a choked sound and looked over Yahaba’s shoulder to see Kyoutani’s cheeks blushing red, eyes fixed on Yahaba’s back.

Oh.

That might be trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Kyoutani learns how to fit into a team


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyoutani settles into the team

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So as a reminder, KyouHaba is not tagged as a relationship because they don't actually get together in this fic. This is just the buildup, and they will be together in later fics in this series.

“Are you going to stay?”

Kentarou looked up at the question to see Matsukawa staring at him.

“What?”

“Well…it’s not like we’re desperate for people anymore,” Matsukawa said. “And it’s not like we’re wandering in the forest with nowhere to call safe. We don’t have to keep the team together to survive anymore, and even if you’ve gotten better, you’re not exactly what I would call a team player. If you want to leave, no one will try to stop you.”

Kentarou considered him. It was true that he’d never quite been comfortable surrounded by people. For the most part he was a loner, and he had always been fine that way. Even now, even with this team feeling a lot better, he still wasn’t entirely comfortable. Maybe he never would be.

Maybe he wasn’t built for being around people like this.

But that didn’t mean he wanted to leave. If anyone on this team died, it would hurt. It would hurt even more to leave now and never know what had happened to them.

“I want to stay,” Kentarou said. “I’m not done here yet.”

“Still looking for revenge?” Matsukawa asked.

“Something like that,” Kentarou said, which was a lot easier than trying to explain the mess in his head. Matsukawa clapped him on the shoulder.

“We’re grateful to have you,” he said. “I just didn’t want to force you to stay if you’d rather be somewhere else.”

Kentarou wandered around aimlessly, thinking about what Matsukawa had said. And thinking about how strange it was that he _didn’t_ think it was strange to want to stay. It wasn’t something he was used to feeling.

He was starting to feel like he belonged with these people.

He wandered into the yard where Irihata was training people. They’d managed to get some people out of the refugee village, though they’d hardly managed to get everyone. Just a few dozen, but maybe, with the right training, it would be enough to make a difference.

Watari waved him over from where he was sitting with Takeru in his lap. Kentarou walked over to sit beside him. They both looked at Maiya, showing a younger girl how to adjust her grip on a sword.

“She’s always liked teaching,” Watari said in explanation. “I think if she hadn’t had that wanderlust pulling her on adventures, she’d have been doing what Mattsun was doing.”

Kentarou grunted in response, which he’d learned was all Watari really needed to keep a conversation going. It was one of the reasons he actually genuinely liked Watari.

“I think she’s probably using this to ignore her own problems,” Watari continued, playing some kind of hand clapping game with Takeru, but Kentarou knew the conversation was still directed at him. “She’s going to have to deal with having lost her mate when this is all over.”

“You care about her,” Kentarou said. Watari smiled.

“She’s my mentor,” he said. “She picked me up when I was young, and I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted, but I did know that I was starting to go crazy cooped up in one place. She taught me how to fight, and let me follow her on her adventures. I’m grateful to her. I still feel a little guilty for voting against her, voting to stay here instead of going north. But I have someone here I want to protect.”

“Yahaba?” Kentarou asked. Watari snorted, making Takeru give him a face.

“I mean,” Watari said, laughter in his voice, “I’d be sad if he got himself killed. We’ve been friends for a really long time, and even though he’s…Shigeru, he’s been there for me through a lot of tough times. But he doesn’t really need me to take care of him, and I’m sure he’d kill me for implying that I need to protect him.”

“Where is the person you want to protect?” Kentarou asked. He was unusually chatty today, but that sometimes happened with Watari. He was a good listener, even if he could tease.

“I don’t know,” Watari said. “Honestly, I’m not even sure she’s still alive, but I’m not giving up on her until I know for sure. I’ll keep looking until I find something.”

Kentarou hummed. They watched Irihata and Maiya work in silence for a moment.

“What you’re doing with Shigeru, it’s good,” Watari spoke up. “Ever since you started training with him and treating him like he belongs here, it’s gotten easier for him. Not that he’ll ever tell you this himself, and I’d prefer if you didn’t tell him it came from me, either. I like having all my limbs attached and he’s too smart for my own good.”

“He threw me into a tree,” Kentarou said in explanation. “If he’s strong enough for that, he’s strong enough to fight for himself.”

Watari actually laughed at that.

“Who would have thought you’d be the best person to partner him with?” Watari grinned. “We had running bets on which of you was going to kill the other. Turns out you actually complement each other well.”

“He’s still a spoiled princess,” Kentarou said.

“Yeah, but you don’t really mind that as long as he watches your back, do you?” Watari asked. Kentarou shrugged. Watari wasn’t wrong. “I’m not looking forward to seeing you two split up when you’re finally getting along.”

Kentarou scowled in confusion.

“What are you talking about?”

“Didn’t you hear that we got word back from some of the noble houses here in the north?” Watari asked. Kentarou nodded. “We got a response from Lake Lilia. Shigeru’s mom is still alive up there. He hasn’t said it yet, but I assumed he was going to leave to go back to her. They were always close when he was younger. Much closer than he ever was with his father.”

Kentarou wanted to ask about the way Watari’s voice had turned dark at the end of his statement, but he was a little preoccupied with the first part. Yahaba was leaving?

Spoiled princess though he was, Kentarou had come to enjoy having him around. When he wasn’t yelling at Kentarou, he was actually kind of nice to talk to. And their arguments hadn’t felt truly angry in a while. If anything, he would call their bickering _fun_.

_He didn’t want Yahaba to leave._

“Do you know where he is right now?” Kentarou asked. Watari pointed back to the house, a strange kind of knowing smile playing across his face. Kentarou chose to ignore it.

The house was bigger than it looked from the outside, which meant it was a good hour of wandering before he finally found Yahaba chatting with Hanamaki and playing with Jun.

“Can I talk to you?” he asked. Yahaba nodded, helping the baby toddle a few steps over to Hanamaki before standing to follow Kentarou out the door.

Kentarou led them to a quiet corner where no one would bother them. He got the feeling that he was about to say something sappy, and the less people who heard it, the better.

“I heard your mom is still alive,” he said. “Congratulations on that. You haven’t been the biggest pain in the ass to work with, I guess. Take care of yourself, and her.”

He held out his hand for a shake. That hadn’t been too sappy. If Yahaba could just accept his farewell and leave it at that, he could be alright with this being the end of them.

“Why does it feel like you’re saying goodbye?” Yahaba asked, not taking his hand.

“Because you’ll be leaving soon?” Kentarou said, though it felt more like a question. Did Yahaba think he cared so little that he wouldn’t even offer a goodbye? They’d gone through a lot together, and no matter what kind of complicated feelings he had for the omega, that earned a farewell when you parted ways.

“Who told you that?” Yahaba asked, eyes narrowing. Not for the first time, Kentarou noticed how Yahaba was a little taller than him. “Because I’m not going anywhere.”

“Why not?” Kentarou asked.

“Because I’m not done here yet.”

“But she’s your mother,” Kentarou said. “She’s the only family you have left. If I had the chance to get my dad back, I’d be jumping at it. Why won’t you go to her?”

“Because I still have things I want to do here!” Yahaba snapped. He took a deep breath. “Look. The last time I saw her, I was just some pet that had been trained to find the best marriage possible. Now, though…” He held up a hand, covered in calluses from constant practice. “I can fight for myself. And I can take my home back. That’s something I want to do for myself before I go back to the place where I was before I learned how to fight for myself. I want to go back to her as someone I can be proud of.”

“She’s your mother,” Kentarou said. “She’ll be proud of you no matter what.”

Yahaba gave him a smile that was equal parts sad and pitying.

“You must have had a good father if that’s what you think parents are like,” he said. Kentarou didn’t really know how to respond to that. Yahaba wasn’t wrong. His father had been all he had, but he had always been enough. He’d loved Kentarou, and Kentarou had never wanted for another parent, even if his father sometimes dragged him into the village because “talking to people was good for him”. “I’m staying. So stop trying to say goodbye to me. I’m not that easy to get rid of.”

“I know,” Kentarou told him. “I would have done it by now if you were.”

“You _asshole_!” Yahaba snapped, but he was laughing. Kentarou was laughing too, despite himself.

Huh. It was weird to call Yahaba his friend, but that’s exactly what he was.

“You know…you should come live with us when this is all over,” Yahaba said. Kentarou just looked at him. “Don’t make that face at me. We have the room, and you don’t really have a place to go after this, do you?”

Kentarou shrugged. He hadn’t really been thinking about his plans for when this all ended. Maybe it was weird, to go into a fight that was stacked against him, that could very well end in his death, and not know what he wanted if they won, but he really hadn’t considered it.

“Come live with us,” Yahaba said, more command than request now. “My mom will like you. And…I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I would miss you if you left. If you have nowhere else to go, it just makes sense to stay together.”

“Alright,” Kentarou told him. “If we win this, I’ll come live with you and your mother.”

“Good.”

“But I’m not going to be your live in servant,” Kentarou continued.

“That’s not why I asked,” Yahaba said. “Although it would be kind of funny to see you polishing silverware, now that I think about it.”

Kentarou gave him an unimpressed glare.

“Just because you’re not at risk of tripping over your own feet and landing on your own sword doesn’t mean I can’t still beat you to a pulp if I want.”

“Yeah, but you won’t.”

“Says who?”

And suddenly, Yahaba was in his space, face entirely too close.

“Because you’d remember that time I threw you into a tree, and you’d remember that an omega put you in your place,” he said with a grin. Kentarou stood frozen as Yahaba gave him a wink before dancing off, back in the direction they’d come from.

Yahaba Shigeru was _trouble._ Kentarou had known that from the first time he’d opened his mouth. He was a spoiled princess with venom in his words and a prideful streak a mile long. He was a pretty face with a bit of a twisted soul and an even more twisted personality, and even if he looked like the perfect boy to bring home to parents, he was a special kind of dangerous.

And, apparently, Kentarou was into that even more than he was into how attractive Yahaba’s face was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Kindaichi and the relationship resolution


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kinkuni get together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big announcement in the end notes.

“Akira.”

Akira looked up from where he was carefully sharpening his sword – sharp enough to be used in battle, but not honed so fine that it would break. A little variation wouldn’t make the sword unusable, but having the perfect balance was best, and Akira had always been finicky about getting it just _so_.

“I need to talk to you,” Yuutarou said.

“Can’t it wait?” Akira asked. “We’re leaving soon to go after that supply chain, we can talk on the way.”

“It’s not a conversation I want to have around the others,” Yuutarou told him. Akira sighed, looking resigned as he sheathed his sword. But he followed Yuutarou all the same.

“What do you want to talk about?” Akira asked when they got far enough away from everyone else, tucked away in some quiet corner of the house.

“I want to know why you’re always running away from the feelings we have for each other,” Yuutarou said before he could lose his nerve.

“I’m not…” Akira began, but Yuutarou cut him off.

“You have feelings for me,” Yuutarou said. “I know you do. You try to hide them, but I’ve known you for a long time, and I know what those looks on your face mean. So please. I know I’m not as smart as you, but don’t insult my intelligence by denying it when I know I’m right.”

Akira sighed, and it was like all the support dropped out of him.

“What do you want me to say here?” Akira asked. He sounded so small. “Take me now? That’s not going to happen.”

“That’s not what I want,” Yuutarou said, but Akira was pressing on.

“And it’s never _going_ to happen,” he said. “I’m never going to want that, do you understand that? I’m never going to be on board with sex.”

“And?” Yuutarou asked. He’d assumed Akira had known that he knew, because Akira knew those things. “I’ve known that for years. You’ve never been interested, and I can’t say…I _never_ think of you like that, but it’s not like it’s eating me up inside that you’re not interested like that. I don’t need you to be.”

“You shouldn’t have to give anything up for me,” Akira protested. “You say you’re fine with it now, but how about in a few years when it doesn’t magically change because of the power of love? You’ll get bored with me, and you’ll leave, and I can’t take you leaving.”

“Is that what you think of me?” Yuutarou asked. He was legitimately offended. After this long being friends, he thought Akira would know him better than that. “You think I just want you for your body? You think I wasn’t in love with you way before I ever realized how pretty you are?”

“Don’t say that!” Akira snapped, eyes going wide.

“What?” Yuutarou shot back. “That I love you? Because I do. You know I do. And I know you love me. Why do we keep pretending that it’s anything different?”

“Because I won’t survive when you leave!” Akira shouted. To Yuutarou’s surprise, there were tears springing to his eyes. He hadn’t seen Akira cry since they were small. “Having you for a little and then losing you will be too hard! I can’t take that. Just let us be friends, so I don’t have to watch your back walking away from me. It’ll break me.”

“Aki,” Yuutarou sighed. “I’m not going anywhere. We’ve been together for so long, how could you ever think I could let you out of my life? You’re a part of me. I love you, whether you want to just be friends or something else. You never want to have sex? Fine. I don’t need it. You never want to kiss, or hold hands, or anything? Fine. I don’t need you to. Just…stop pulling away because there’s some line of _too close_ you’re trying not to cross. All it does is hurt us both.”

Akira looked lost, more so than Yuutarou had ever seen him. He’d always been sure of himself, even when they were younger, and maybe that was part of the reason Yuutarou had fallen in love with him. Still, even the strongest had to be weak sometimes, and Yuutarou wanted to support Akira so he could be weak right now.

“How is being just friends any better than what we are now?” he asked. “We’re _just friends_ now.”

“Best friends,” Yuutarou pointed out helpfully. “No matter what else changes, you’re always going to be my best friend. Nothing can change that.”

“You shouldn’t have to give things up for me,” Akira said. “You should have someone who can give you everything you deserve. Maybe it’s fine now, but someday, maybe you’ll change your mind, and you’ll want a family, and a partner that doesn’t shake off your touch because it’s too much.”

“I don’t want any of that if it’s not with you,” Yuutarou told him. He’d never been more sure of anything in his life. “I don’t care about the sex thing. I have a hand. And if you never want any of that couple stuff like kissing, that’s fine too. Just…lean on me if you want to. Stop holding yourself back because it’s too close for friends.”

Akira leaned into his shoulder, hiding his face. Yuutarou wrapped arms around him out of reflex, and let Akira lean his entire body weight onto him.

“I actually do kind of want to kiss you,” Akira admitted. “Yuu, I don’t…I don’t know if this is the best time to be having this conversation. We really do have to leave soon.”

“There’s never going to be a perfect time,” Yuutarou argued. “We could die on any of these raids. I’d be pretty sad if one of us died before this was resolved.”

He felt Akira take a few deep breaths against his shoulder. Breaths that were probably laced with his scent, as close as Akira was to the scent glands.

“Alright,” he said, so quietly that Yuutarou could barely hear him, even tucked up as close as they were.

“Alright?”

“I’m in love with you, not that you need me to tell you that,” Akira said. “And I actually would kind of like to kiss you right now.”

“Oh! You were serious,” Yuutarou said, pulling back so he could see Akira’s face. “Like… _right now_ , right now?”

“We don’t have to if you don’t want to.” Akira actually looked disappointed.

“No, I definitely want to,” Yuutarou assured him. “I just didn’t expect you to agree.”

“Yuu?”

“Yeah?”

Akira was in his face, truly not much shorter than him.

“Shut up,” he said, and he kissed him.

It was terrible, if Yuutarou was being honest. Neither of them had ever been kissed before, and it showed. Still, once they figured out they had to tilt their heads, and not purse their lips, and maybe _move their lips a little_ , it was kind of nice. A little sweet and a little clumsy but a lot nice.

Yuutarou pulled back, holding Akira’s top lip between his own with a little suction before letting it go with a faint _pop_. Akira’s face was flushed, and his lips looked bright red.

“We should…get going,” Akira finally broke the silence. “They’re probably waiting for us.”

“Yeah,” Yuutarou agreed breathlessly. “Yeah, we should go kill some people.”

“That is literally the least romantic thing someone has ever said after kissing someone,” Akira told him.

“You love me anyway.”

“Only the gods know why.”

Yuutarou couldn’t stop grinning as they rode out to intercept the supply chain that was heading for the refugee village. They would be taking it over entirely and using it to sneak their way in, getting everyone in there out. It was the biggest thing they’d planned yet, and the riskiest, but it also carried the biggest reward.

Akira was by his side through the fight with the soldiers guarding the chain, watching his back as Yuutarou watched his. They moved in sync, just as they always had, covering each other and making each other stronger.

They stole the uniforms the soldiers wore, pulling hoods over their heads to disguise themselves, and continuing the ride into the refugee village.

With so many of their people smuggled in – over thirty, and all trained ruthlessly by Irihata – the guards in the village didn’t stand a chance. By the time the moon was rising, the village of people was free.

Some volunteered to stay and help fight. Some – mostly the ones with children – took off for the north, either to Shiratorizawa or to one of the noble houses of the north, who had all agreed to their request to shelter refugees.

Yuutarou gave Akira a big, goofy grin. They’d lost a few of the newer recruits, but the main team was still intact. For something as risky as they’d just pulled, it was something to celebrate. Akira returned his look with a smile, a genuine one.

“We’re going to win,” Yuutarou told him. “We’re going to win, and you’re going to get us our home back.”

“You really believe that?” Akira asked. His eyes were bright.

“I’ve always believed in you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have come to the decision that this series will not be continuing after the end of this fic. I had originally planned two more, and even have outlines, but have decided to end the series anyway for a few reasons: significantly less interest from readers, less interest on my own part, and a general feeling of being burned out. I've been working almost exclusively on this for the better part of a year, and worse than being tired, I'm _bored._ I want to do something - anything - new. I will save the outlines and any notes I've made, and I won't rule out the possibility that I might revisit this series when I've had time to recharge - but know that it is very unlikely that I will write anything more. I will actually be leaving the HQ!! fandom entirely for a little while, because I desperately need a change of pace in the interest of keeping my creativity up and continuing to improve. I am extremely grateful to anyone who has enjoyed this series.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team finds Kageyama and Hinata

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm kind of rushing to get this finished, so the chapter count might go down again as I eliminate unnecessary chapters.

_A few months later…_

“I’m going with you.”

Mattsun sighed.

“Is there any point in arguing with you?”

“Absolutely none.”

“And Jun?”

“Watari agreed to stay back with Maiya to look after the children,” Makki said. “And even then, this place is pretty heavily fortified, and there are people who will stay to watch anyway. There are new people to train, and people come and go all the time from raids. They’re not sitting in an unguarded campsite anymore.”

“You’ve thought this through.”

“I’m sick of fretting over whether or not you’ll come back to me,” Makki said. “Just this once. Let me come with you. Let me fight.”

“You know I’m not going to say no,” Mattsun replied. “I know you can look after yourself. You have every right to come, especially now that I know our son will be safe here. I’ll actually appreciate having you there.”

“Good.”

And it was decided. For the first time, Makki was coming along on a raid. For the most part, he’d been content to stay at wherever their base was, watching their son, but he was one of the ones who’d wanted to fight in the first place, and he wanted to follow through with that now.

They’d been having more success than any of them could have dreamed. Freeing the refugee village had been the real turning point, giving them men and women that already knew how to fight and even more that could be trained to fight. Not only that, but there were men and women who weren’t fighters, and children too young to fight, so rather than just a large group of soldiers, they had a real community building.

The men and women that stayed in the house permanently were the backbone of their resistance efforts. They were the ones patching up the wounded, and they were the hub of communications, sending letters back and forth and organizing the information that came in to them so that Kunimi and Irihata could look over it and form strategies.

Makki could admit that he’d underestimated how important having people like that could be, but he was grateful for them anyway. For now, though, he wanted to fight.

Even if what they were doing right now wouldn’t involve much fighting. They’d heard reports of a few nobles from Karasuno going to the empty castle of Seijoh, and based off the descriptions of their guards and their horses, they were high ranking. They would bring a lot in ransom, and Kunimi had decided it was time to bring direct action against the royal family of Karasuno. Anyone high ranking enough for guards and horses like that would be important enough for the king and queen to sit up and take notice. Maybe it would even be enough to get one of their princes back.

Makki was betting that Kunimi would bargain for the older prince, Oikawa, first. He was hoping for it, anyway. He’d been friends with the older prince, not much younger than himself, and if they were planning on rebuilding Seijoh, they needed their crown prince back. He was the one that had been trained to rule.

“Do you really think we can get Oikawa-sama back?” Makki asked quietly as they rode south. It was about a two days’ ride from where they were, and they were being cautious, making sure no one would be able to see them coming. They didn’t want to tip off any hidden guards before they could get the nobles in their possession. That in and of itself would be hard enough. Guards trained to protect nobles were known to be hard to beat.

“It depends on who it is,” Mattsun replied. “And how good Kunimi is at bargaining. Well. We might have to send Yahaba instead. But it depends on what bargaining chips we have.”

They drew near the abandoned castle, careful to watch their steps. It looked like they had beaten the nobles there. No one was around, and there was no sign of the dust being disturbed.  

Makki stepped to the door almost without thinking, his feet pulled back to his home.

“Wait,” Kunimi said. “We can set a trap here. Let’s go in a side entrance and set up around the entrance hall. If we have the element of surprise, there’ll be less risk.”

Everyone nodded, following Kunimi around the castle to a secret entrance that would take them into the king’s study. No one wanted to ask how he knew it was there.

They walked across the room, leaving footprints in the dust. Kunimi pointed out places for them to walk that wouldn’t leave tracks, but Makki at least didn’t need much help. He’d lived here his entire life. He could find his way around his own home.

They didn’t have to wait long before people were walking in, breaking the silence. They were too far away, and their voices were too muffled for Makki to make out the words, but he waited for the signal from Kunimi.

Whoever the visitors were, they climbed the stairs, out of sight. The guards stayed behind, looking a little bored. A low whistle called them all to attack.

They’d gotten the guards disarmed when they heard a sound to let them know that the nobles were back. Makki turned to see a short boy with orange hair and a taller boy with blue eyes and black hair looking at them.

“That’s the prince of Karasuno,” Kunimi said, voice laced with surprise. “Take him.”

They all moved forward, and the blue eyed boy moved in front of his companion. Makki realized with a jolt why he looked familiar.

“Kageyama-sama?” Kindaichi asked. Makki couldn’t believe his eyes. The younger prince looked so _different_ from the prince he remembered, a blank faced little boy that used to trail around after Mattsun.

“Don’t hurt him,” Kageyama pleaded, holding out his hand placatingly. “He’s my mate.”

“He’s…what?” Mattsun asked. He unwrapped the scarf from around his face.

“He’s my mate,” Kageyama repeated.

“You…agreed to mate with Karasuno’s crown prince?” Mattsun asked. He sounded shocked, and a little angry. “Did they force you?”

“I agreed because I wanted to,” Kageyama said. “So please don’t hurt him. Or the two guards with us. They were just here to protect us.”

“There’s no way you would agree to mate with anyone,” Kindaichi argued. “I know you better than that.”

“It’s true, Kindaichi,” Kageyama protested.

“He’s not lying,” Makki spoke up. “That bracelet he’s wearing? That’s a Karasuno engagement present. If he says they’re mates, I believe him.”

“This complicates things,” Kunimi sighed. “We’ll have to alter the plan.”

“What are you doing here, Kunimi?” Kageyama asked.

“We saw the horses outside the palace. Two nobles, two guards. We figured you’d be worth something in ransom,” Kunimi shrugged. “None of us expected them to let their prized captured prince out of the castle.”

“I’m not a prisoner.”

“You could’ve fooled me.”

“None of this is helping,” Mattsun interrupted. “Kunimi, what is the new plan?”

“I’m thinking, Matsukawa,” Kunimi sighed. “I’m sure the prince is still worth something in ransom. Maybe we could even negotiate a better deal for Seijoh with his life.”

“That’s the kind of thinking I like to hear,” Mattsun said. “Let’s move out. Tie up those guards, Kindaichi, Kyoutani. I’ll get the prince.”

“No,” Kageyama stepped farther in front of the crown prince of Karasuno. Mattsun gave him a look. “You don’t have to tie him up. I’ll keep an eye on him. He won’t wander off.”

“Are you sure you can control him?” Mattsun asked. “If he runs and we have to chase him down, it won’t end well for either of you.”

“Hina…Shou,” Kageyama said, turning to him. “Do you promise not to run?”

The boy with orange hair was silent for a long moment before answering.

“I promise.”

This was an interesting new development.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: Iwaizumi


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've finally gotten myself to wrap this fic up, and I need a serious break. It's not nearly as long as I was planning, but I do need to go ahead and end it (and this series) now. Thank you to everyone who has read thus far. You mean the world to me.

“Hajime!” Hajime looked up to see Maiya waving at him, Takeru by her side.

“Nee-san!” he called back, running to gather her all up in his arms. “You’re alive!”

“They should have told you that,” she said, face buried in his shoulder.

“Still, I couldn’t see you until now,” he said. Maiya had never come to Karasuno, so he’d been unable to see her until Tooru was finished healing after having the baby, having to settle for exchanging messages with her.

Speaking of Tooru…

“Tooru,” he called. “Get in the hug.”

Tooru walked closer, Yuri cradled in his arms.

“Is this my niece?” Maiya asked, bending down to stroke a finger down Yuri’s nose. “She’s perfect. Almost as beautiful as Takeru.”

“Well, of course,” Tooru said. “She’s my daughter, after all.”

Hajime and Maiya rolled their eyes in sync. They’d had a long time to get used to Tooru’s antics.

“What are you two going to do now?” Maiya asked. Tooru wrinkled his nose and Hajime laughed at him.

“We have a lot of work to do,” Tooru sighed. “It’s not going to be easy to rebuild Seijoh to what it used to be. We lost a lot of people, and we have a lot of things that have to be fixed here. Just rebuilding the council is going to be a huge task, I swear…”

“It’ll happen with time,” Hajime assured him, putting a hand on his husband’s shoulder. “Remember, you’re not fighting alone. You have all of us to support you.”

“I know,” Tooru said. “We don’t even have all the details hammered out perfectly, but I do trust Kunimi-chan to get that worked out. Looks like years of being Tobio’s advisor paid off. I do wish Yaha-chan had stayed around to help him and learn from him, though. He would’ve made a good ambassador.”

“I think I’m actually going to miss Yahaba,” Maiya said. “He helped more than I think even he realizes while we were rebelling. He’s a good kid, even if he’s got a terrible mouth on him.”

“That’s what makes him such a good partner for Kyoutani, though,” Watari said, joining their group.

“Leaving your girlfriend so soon?” Maiya teased.

“She had some stuff to sort through with her family,” Watari said, but he looked pleased at her mention. “They were all separated between refugee camps, so they’re catching up. I’m leaving them to it for now.”

“Who would’ve thought Yahaba Shigeru would be courting a lowborn?” Tooru mused. “His father was such a social climber. He never would have let Yaha-chan end up with someone like Kyouken-chan.”

“They’re not courting yet,” Hajime pointed out.

“Give it time,” Tooru insisted. “You saw the way they looked at each other. And Yaha-chan invited him to live with him and his mother. They’ll be mated by the end of next year, I’m willing to bet on it.”

“We have more important things to worry about than gossiping,” Hajime said. Tooru pulled a face.

“Fine,” he said. “Let’s get to work.”

***

“Ma…ma…ma.”

“That is so not fair,” Mattsun complained. Makki grinned at him.

“It’s not my fault I’m just perfect in every way,” he sassed back. “Of course our son would say mama before he says papa.”

“Traitor,” Mattsun said, giving Jun a dark look. Jun just bubbled a laugh that could melt any heart.

“Are you still going to be captain of the guards?” Makki asked.

“Not for now,” Mattsun admitted. “I want to spend more time with you and Jun. I’ll start training a successor, and I’ll still take shifts, but I don’t want to spend all my time doing just that. I think I’ll suggest Kindaichi. He’d be good at it.”

“He’ll need a lot of training,” Makki mused. “He doesn’t quite have what it takes yet. But I think you’re right.”

They sat in silence, watching Jun toddle around and babble nonsense words.

“It’s weird to think that we almost lost this,” Makki said quietly. “This home, this place. I’m glad we didn’t. I wasn’t sure…even when I voted to stay here, I wasn’t sure we could win, but I wouldn’t have been able to forgive myself if we didn’t even try.”

“I wouldn’t either,” Mattsun admitted. Makki whipped his head up. “I was being cautious, because I was scared, but I wouldn’t have been fine if we’d lost Seijoh.”

“Good thing we won, then!” Makki said. Mattsun laughed, leaning his head on his mate’s shoulder and watching their son play.

***

“Can I help you?” Akira snapped. The Karasuno man – Akira had already forgotten his name; it wasn’t worth remembering – jerked to attention.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I was just…”

“Just what?” Akira asked through gritted teeth.

“Akira,” Yuutarou said quietly, sliding his arm around Akira’s shoulders. “You can leave now,” he told the Karasuno man. The man nodded, turning and leaving the room.

“They keep staring at me,” Akira complained.

“It’s just because the mating mark is fresh,” Yuutarou soothed him. “People are always fascinated by new mating marks. It’ll heal soon and everything will go back to normal.”

Akira huffed. He was still a little self-conscious of the new bite mark on the junction between his shoulder and neck, but he didn’t regret asking Yuutarou to put it there. Nor did he regret the matching mark on Yuutarou’s neck. It was just uncomfortable when people kept staring.

“Matsukawa asked me to be the new captain of the guard,” Yuutarou said. Akira turned to look at him.

“Are you going to say yes?”

“Of course I am,” Yuutarou said. “I don’t know if I can do a good job yet. But I want to try, and Matsukawa deserves to have some time to spend with Hanamaki and Jun. And…I think I can do this. Maybe it’ll take a while, but I think I can do this.”

“You know I believe in you.”

“Aki!”

“Stop. That’s enough sap for one day.”

Yuutarou grinned at him.

“I love you.”

Akira felt himself turn pink.

“Yeah, yeah. I love you too,” he said.

***

“Will you stop worrying?” Shigeru sighed. Kyoutani gave him a look.

“What if she doesn’t like me?” he asked.

“She will,” Shigeru assured him. “And even if she doesn’t, I already invited you to stay. She’s not going to kick you out.”

“You’re not helping.”

“You’re being ridiculous!”

Kyoutani still didn’t look convinced.

“Look,” Shigeru sighed. “If I like you, she will too. You’re worrying over nothing.”

“You like me?”

“Yeah, enough to invite you to live with me,” Shigeru said, trying not to blush. “We’re here. Just act like yourself, you’ll be fine.”

He knocked on the door before Kyoutani had time to worry more, waiting for someone to open it. A man Shigeru could vaguely remember from childhood opened the door, eyes widening when he took them in.

“Is my mother in?” Shigeru asked pleasantly. “We did send word saying we were coming.”

“Right this way,” the man gestured them both in, leading them to his mother’s study.

“Mother?” he called, poking his head into the room. She looked up from the book she was reading, a wide smile breaking across her face.

“Shigeru!” she cried, getting to her feet to sweep him into a hug. “And this must be Kyoutani.”

“Nice to meet you,” he said gruffly.

“You picked a cute one,” she told Shigeru conspiratorially. Shigeru flushed.

“What? No. _No_. It’s not like that,” he insisted. “Kyoutani is my friend, and he helped me fight in the rebellion.”

She gave them both a long look.

“It sounds like the two of you have a lot of explaining to do.”

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr: [ musicprincess655 ](http://musicprincess655.tumblr.com)


End file.
